The 224th Hunger Games: It's a Small World After all, An SYOT
by SlytherinPrincessAtWork77
Summary: It's the 224th hunger games, and the president of Panem is on the brink of madness... After two years of boring games and a severely declining viewership, Catalina Helios is on the rise. So she decides to make a very useful bargain of sorts; present a useful idea for an arena, you would be given high status in the Capitol. The twist? Districts could also submit ideas. SYOT *CLOSED*
1. An Idea

The 224th Hunger Games: It's a Small World After all, An SYOT

 _ **Catalina Helios**_

I drummed my fingers on the table as I forged another signature on yet another important piece of paperwork. I had only a slight idea of what this paperwork is about and I thanked my lucky stars that my father's trusted adviser had enough common sense to inform me of everything related to running this country, Heaven only knows what father would have done if he attempted to run any kind of business with his declining state of health and his clearly ascension into madness attitude. Someone should've warned me a little earlier though. I guess I should have guessed when the Arena of the previous year was an exact replica of the year before.

I sighed as I looked at the multiple ridiculous plans for this year's arena. I fingered a file titled Rainforest and I rolled my eyes. A rain forest? Really? Yeah, that would definitely make people watch. I threw the file in trash and I wrote down the name of the idiot who had the nerve to send it. I looked at another file which was titled "Caves" and I threw it in the trash as well. I quickly sifted through the remaining ones and they were all absolute bullshit. Desert? Used in the 28th, 124th and 236th games. Waterfalls? Done before in the 12th, 66th and 156th games. Railways? That one was a huge success when it was done but for the fifth time? It would send the viewership into the ground. Out of all the files, only one caught my eyes, and after seeing through the file I found out that it was just as ridiculous. A ruined city was already overdone. It has been used for a Quarter Quell for heaven's sake.

I threw the pile of Files at the wall and screamed for an avox to come. I was so furious at those lazy asses who call themselves game makers. What? Did they think that because my silly excuse of a father was rapidly descending into madness, I wasn't capable enough to run this stupid country?

A small knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts and I yelled for them to come in. A frightened looking 15 or 14 year old answered the door and bowed her head.

"Fetch me Ariana Temple, and make it quick!"

She bowed her head again and turned to leave until a small thought popped into my head.

"Wait!"

She looked up at me and I looked at her in a calculating way. She looked visibly paler as I stood up and began approaching her.

"What district were you from?"

If it was possible, the girl became even paler. She held up 5 fingers at me and I looked at calculatingly. I nodded as the though entered my mind again. I waved at her to go and get Ariana and I sat back down at my desk. I run my hand through my hair as I sifted the idea through my mind. Granted, it was kind off crazy, but it was crazy enough to work.

Another knock pushed me again out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Ariana coming in and I nodded at her. The Avox bowed her head and was reaching out to leave when I yelled at her to stop.

"Wait!, Come in and Close the door"

The Avox looked at me frighteningly and I nodded slowly. Trembling, she closed the door and stood next to it, shielding her face and looking at the floor. I turned to Ariana and I smiled slowly.

"After much thought, I've decided upon a better way to get an arena idea that doesn't bore every person who's watching to death and is actually entertaining enough to watch.

Ariana looked at me quizzically and I smiled.

"And what's that?"

I smiled again and I gestured her to look at the Avox.

"Avoxes?" She said, looking confused. I shook my head still smiling.

"Districts."

If it's possible, Ariana looked even more confused. She looked at me waiting for me to explain it a little bit more.

"You see, for years, we've only been using Districts and their reisdents for what? Labour work and entertainment. Now, I think that some of these people are not completely useless. In fact, these people tried and almost succeeded in creating an uprising three times. These people are not stupiud. So I say, how about we try and use their smartness in a useful way that benefits us?"

If it was possible, Ariana looked even more confused. "I'm not sure I'm following"

I smiled at her, "Tomorrow, I want hundreds and hundreds of notices to be sent out to the districts and to be distributed among students of reaping ages. I also want these notices to be handed out to capitol children. These notices will advertise of a competition. This competition urges people to submit ideas that could be captured to make the arenas. We will only be accepting submissions by people of reaping ages and 10 people will be chosen as winners. They could be from the Districts or from the capitol. But the chosen ones will be the new Head game makers. Now you might ask why I made it for people of reaping ages and I'm using these because children are much more imaginative and creative than adults. Any why am I using the Districts? Because we never attempted that, we might have a genius or two lurking in the districts."

Ariana was looking at me open mouthed and a little bit confused. "How-how are you going to be controlling these district children?"

I smirked, "Bargaining power Ariana, threaten their families and you could make them do anything. Besides, if chosen they would leave their poverty stricken communities and they would be guaranteed safety from the hunger games along with their families. Who would give away this opportunity?"

Ariana just stared at me for a couple of minutes before opening her mouth.

"This is crazy but-" she stopped and smiled a small secretive smile. "It's crazy enough that it might just work."

I smiled at her and nodded. She stood up and made quick calls on her phone and nodded at me.

"Oh an Ariana?" She looked back at me and I smiled. "Fire all current game makers, but keep the technicians, we would be needing those."

She smiled in return and turned and left the room. I smiled at the ceiling and gave myself a little pat on the back.

Oh yes, this year's games are going to be legendary.

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A.N:

Now that the first chapter is over, it's submission time!

There are three forms of submission. One is the regular tribute Form, the other two are the Gamemakers form. One is if you want it create a Capitol gamemaker and the other if it's a District resident. I already have two of my own, so there are five places left in the gamemakers.

Now please Submit but I have a few rules:

NO Mary Sues/Gary Stues. These make me sick. Any submitted ones will either be ignored or be bloodbath tributes.

I will only be accepting submissions through PM. Sorry Non-members but I'll probably have to interact with you and If you don't have an account I wouldn't be able to.

When submitting, please mention in the subject line the name of the tribute, as well as the District. Same applies if you're submitting a Game maker. In the case of Game makers, Put Game maker between two Parenthesis. This will just make it easier for me to sort out the tributes, so please try to do that.

So an example would be: "Jade Marge, District 2 (Tribute)"

OR "Gamemaker: Stensil Aiden, District 5"

Only three tributes are allowed per person, and one must be a bloodbath.

This isn't a first come first serve, I will be choosing the tributes because I want them to be able to go well with the story.

If you want to submit Victors/Mentors you could.

Remember to Review (that's not an obligation, but it will help me if I take suggestions from you guys!)

Please only submit if you actually plan on reading. It sucks turning down other applicants who were excited for the story for people who got in and then dropped off the face of the earth. Plus, it's lowkey rude.

That's all, happy Submitting!

Tribute Form:

Name:

Age:

Gender:

District:

Appearance:

Faceclaim (MANDATORY):

Personality: (Detailed)

Backstory: (VERY Detailed)

Family:

Friends:

Reaped or Volunteered:

Reaction to reaping/reason for volunteering:

Token:

Preferred Weapon(s):

Strengths: (6 Max)

Weaknesses: (3 Min)

Fears:

Hopes/Dreams:

What stations do they focus on during training?:

What do they do for their private Gamemaker session?:

Games Strategy:

Fight or Flight:

Bloodbath Strategy:

Private Sessions Score:

4-5 Original Quotes (MANDATORY):

Interview Outfit:

Chariot Outfit:

Reaping Outfit:

Anything else that I've forgotten (which I probably have):

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Game Maker Form (District/Capitol)

Name:

Age: (From 11 to 18)

Gender:

District: (Write Captiol if you're submitting a Capitol Resident)

Appearance:

Faceclaim (MANDATORY):

Personality:

Backstory:

Family:

Friends:

IQ:

Ideas for Arenas:

Reaction to Winning as a chosen Gamemaker

Why He/She Applied:

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Hopes/Dreams:

Weakest Link (The one person they will fight the world to keep safe):


	2. A Chance

_**Aisselyn Mccfee-Brinley POV**_

The first thing I noticed was the huge crowd.

It was a normal, hot, dry day at District 7. We're facing a major drought at the district and the mayor is all out of sorts trying to find some way to fix this before the Capitol representatives come to visit at reaping day. An idiot would tell him that this drought will only last a couple of weeks because of season changes but off course, the mayor's ignorant gang of helpers have a shared IQ of about 50, which is just below the cutoff of having a major learning disability. I rolled my eyes at the thought and ran a hand through my hair as I continued down the path to the victor's village. It wasn't easy being a Victor's grandchild; all eyes were on you, be it other victors who pointedly claim that we don't deserve to live in the victor's village or other people who sometimes try to get close to you just to soak into the glory or haters and rebels who look at you with hate in their eyes. My siblings, cousins and I endured a lot from the other children at school. Add to that I being apparently a "Genius" and you've got yourself the honor of us being "The most bullied family in Panem".

I pass by the marketplace and I wave at the saleslady who sells groceries. She waves back and smiles kindly at me. I can never get much sympathy from anyone my age, but anyone over the age of 40 knows how hard it is to be related to any Victors. My grandfather still wakes up from nightmares related to his game. He was about 16 years old when he won his games. And his game was the 7th quarter quell and the reason he still got his nightmares was because the Arena was unlike any other Arena. He refuses to say much about it, I noticed that every time he speaks of it, his eyes gloss over from the horrors he saw inside. The 175th hunger games had a horrible twist that year. Instead of sending in one set of tributes, the districts were to send triple the amount of tributes. This means three girls and three boys from each district. A Pair would be reaped, another pair was voted in, and the last pair was chosen from an existing pool of previous victors.

72 people were a whole lot of chaos. 24 of them already witnessed the horrors of the hunger games before. 24 of them were hated enough by the districts, and the last 24 were just quiet unlucky to be chosen. My Grandfather was reaped, and the odds were against him but he managed to make it out alive with only 6 kills from the initial 71 tributes. He still felt guilty about it. He's guiltier over the fact that he didn't manage to save his other reaped Tribute partner; a 13 year old girl that was called Flower Iris. He still has plenty of nightmares of the night that she was killed. He refuses to talk about it though.

I sidestepped the small crack in the pavement as I began to approach to gates of the victor's village when the huge crowd caught my eyes.

At first, I expected the worst. Out of everyone in my family, my eldest cousin Adrian was the rebellious one. He hated how everyone would pick on him just because he was a victor's relative. He acted out; going out drinking, picking up fights at the bar and hitting anyone who dared to speak ill of anyone in his family. My biggest fear is that he would be whipped or something. I know that being a victor's relative gives him protection, but for how long?

As I approached the crowd, I let out a sigh of relief when I found them all staring at the wall not at a person. I decided to check it out ojut of curiousity mostly. What I saw though, surprised me.

There was this huge notice on the wall that called for anyone of reaping age. It spoke of a grand prize that could be won if you submit a perfect idea of an arena to the Capitol by the ned of this week. It must be new, fresh and not used before. It could however have some elements of old arenas, just no more than 2 or 3.

I stared at it for a while thinking. What sort of grand prize could the capitol give? Pardon from the games forever?

I got my answer almost immediately. At the bottom of the notice was a huge red notice with huge letters. "Prizes to be won" was written with big hue letters. I got closer to it and squinted my eyes trying to read it without my glasses which I left home.

" _ **Want to soak in to the glory of the Capitol?"**_

" _ **Prepared to end the life of poverty you might be living in?"**_

" _ **Win the competition and leave your whole life in the district for a much grander life at the capitol with a huge mansion all at your disposal."**_

" _ **Winning this competition will give you the opportunity of being a game maker for the upcoming games and a pardon of the games for you and your family. Winning these games will make you gain statuses of being regular capitol Citizens."**_

" _ **Apply now and submit all your ideas by the upcoming week. Winners will be chosen and contacted three days after the submissions."**_

My eyes were widening after I read each and every line. I was surprised at the this. After the whole debacle of last year and the arena being the same as the one before, districts were convinced that the game makers were turning mad. I just never thought that they would resort to this.

For a moment, I thought about applying. This competition called for people who have artistic abilities and imagination as well as creativity. Chances are, I could have a shot in this. Then I remember the nightmares my grandfather still gets from those games he entered and I give up the idea. However, I think about it again when I reread the sentence " _ **pardon of the games for you and your family."**_ That will mean that everyone in my family would be safe forever. I shake my head and try to gather my thoughts. A short yell however pulled me out of it and I turned around to face some girls and boys I knew from school.

"Hey Brainiac, how about you apply to be in this Capitol trash competition and be a capitol favorite like your old fool. Maybe then you could actually contribute to society."

They all laughed at that and I stared at them defiantly. I never resorted to violence with these people. I just hit them where it hurts the most. Like for instance, the leader of this gang is called Hank Makarous, He's very fond of two things; his ego and his girlfriend. So I decided to hit birds with one stone and I orchestrated a romance between his girlfriend and his best friend. Leaving both of them love notes from the other. I then watched happily when Hank found out and beat the crap out of his best friend. I also hacked into the desktop computer of our school and put on a picture of his girlfriend with his best friend in a rather compromising position. No one managed to catch me, but I'm still smug about it.

"I think you really should apply. Like, your grandfather was in the arena and slaughtered people and you could carry on the legacy and create arenas used to slaughter even more people."

"Like grandfather, like granddaughter"

They all continued laughing at that. And I stared at them and then I smiled.

"Maybe I will, and If I do you'll regret everything you ever done to me."

I hear them laugh as I turn around and walk towards the entrance. I waste no time and I run all the way towards our mansion in the victor's village. I reach my workroom in perfect timing and I smile.

Oh yes, I'm going to have so much fun with this. I thought, as I pulled out a blue print and my laptop and I begin designing.

 _ **Atlantis "Lan" Seraphin Cords POV**_

The huge poster was hanged on the wall of the district's main factory.

I was small enough to maneuver my way into the crowd, but still short enough to fail to see anything on the said poster. Finally, my older brother took pity on me and smiled a small smile as he lifted my up on his shoulders to get a good look.

It was competition for the best Arena idea. I guess the Capitol was running out of rather creative ones to seek the help of the districts. As they say, desperate times call for desperate measures. I went through the whole thing before telling my brother to put me down again. It was crazy and impulsive but I decided at that moment that I would try and thnk od something to apply with.

I had a lesser chance to be chosen than anyone else. I'm only 13 years old and I'm probably the smallest 13 year old you'll ever see. I knew however, that I had the brains for it. By the age of 5 I could assemble and dissemble an electronic circuit without having any prior knowledge of it. I guess I knew my way through technology because of my father being an engineer.

I created my laptop using old parts dissembled parts of old laptops. I also created multiple inventions around the house that could help my mom with household stuff. According to some books I read, I'm what they call, a prodigy.

I ran all the way to my house and I decided then and there to create something different. I pulled my laptop to me as I began thinking of ideas for this. The one theme I had in mind was friendly but deadly. But then I realised that it has been done before. So I decided to twist it. A Friendly place that is now a nightmare. So example wise, a small tropical island that is now burned to crisp because of a volcanic eruption.

I smiled. I put on forth three ideas and I meshed them together.

If this doesn't make me and my family safe all our lives, then I don't know what will.

Aisselynn Mcfee-Brinnley was Submitted by: ThousendSplendidSuns

Atlantis Seraphin Cords was Submitted by: BookishLifeandCoffee

 **A.N**

This is the second Chapter for this story. A little introduction for the game makers. Thanks for the people who submitted! I still have loads of places left so please submit. Form is on my profile.


	3. An Opportunity

_**Christian Luscious**_

District 1 was known for having three things; The Richest Families, Trained Tributes and Some of the hottest springs weather wise.

I sat on my computer already busy with my newest model. It's rather strange and somewhat morbid to think about, but I for one, think the hunger games are fascinating, well, not the game themselves, but the ideas and technologies around it kind of makes me truly intimidated.

For a district one boy, you'd find people, mostly people from other districts expecting to see this broad, muscled person who could only scream "Kill, Kill, Kill". I happen to find little fascination with the idea of fighting; in fact, I've never been the strongest fighter out there. Actually, I've never been a fighter at all.

While parents around the districts were busy sending their little boys and girls off to the academy to learn the art of killing, I was pretty hooked on Computers and architecture. Most District one boys could easily snap animals' necks by the age of 6, but as for me, by the age of 6, I mastered the AutoCAD program on my father's computer. By the time I was 8, I could easily construct a whole arena on the program, using only simple ideas as my inspirations. I used to rent out old games just to examine the arenas.

Other people might call me sick, but I find arenas and their technologies works of art. And while most kids dream of winning the hunger games, I dream of designing them one day.

I sighed as I finished the last part in the idea I have been working on. It was quiet hopeless to think about really. Gamemakers aren't chosen from Districts, no matter how close said district is with the Capitol.

I picture myself in the gameroom one day. The idea of plotting 23 people's death isn't nice, but the idea of creating something magical enough really makes me overlook the killing part.

I hear a knock at my door and sigh and yelled a "Come in", still fully ingrossed in the now almost complete arena I've been working on.

"Hey, your mother let me in"

I turn around and find Lavender putting down her bag on the desk. Lavender is probably the only person who knows of my crazy dreams of being a gamemaker. She doesn't exactly like it but she has seen how passionate I am about it so she encourages me because she knows how much it makes me happy. Lavender is pretty much the only friend I have, mostly because the other kids are afraid that if they're seen with the local Brainiac they'll be labeled losers for life. I thank god everyday that Lavender didn't have the same problem.

"Hey, what's up?"

I say and she looks at me with a secretive look on her face and her eyes gleam as if she knows something I don't.

"Oh Dr. Hyde what's getting worked up in that crazy mind of yours?" I drawl on smirking. In our friendship, Lavender has always been the Mr. Hyde to my Dr. Jekyll. Lavender's Smirk intensified.

"Oh nothing of importance…" She was still smirking and looking at me with those know-it-all looks that she perfected in the third grade.

"What, did Glitter Gold finally discover the concept of Gravity and stopped leaping from the third floor?" I said dryly. Glitter Gold was our resident airhead. She thinks nothing of the gravity concept and keeps on leaping from high floors as a preparation for the games which she'll probably never be picked for.

Lavender laughed. "Naah She stopped after her last attempts made her get stitches and broke her legs in two parts. She claims that someone wished that she'll get hurt on purpose. I swear to god, that girl is freaking delusional. She actually asked me if the square root of pie is unicorns. Go figure."

I laughed loudly at that and shook my head. "Still though, what's up? Care to enlighten me of the reason why you have that satisfied smirk on your face?"

Lavender smiled at me, and shook her head. "I think you better see for yourself, come on get your ass up we're going for a little walk."

I whined at that, "Why? You know I really hate people. Well with the exception being you. Except when you're annoying but seriously why do we have to leave my room?" I really hated going outside. For one, no one called me weird or a Brainiac when I'm in my room. Also, the chances of meeting people in my room is slim to none so yeah, my room is pretty much my favorite place to be.

"Because, you ned to see for yourself to believe me, come on lazy ass, get up!"

I dragged myself up and leave after her. I wave at my mom from the kitchen and she smiles at us and waves back. I follow Lavender down the streets until she drags me to the town's square, where the reaping normally takes place. That place is mostly empty, save on reaping days. Apparently, today most district 1's citizens decided that it's the place to be because it was very crowded. People of all ages were gathered around a wall or something and there was this buzz of excitement.

"What's going on?" I whisper to Lavender.

She smiled and shook her head, all the while dragging me towards the crowd, "You'll see."

I cringed a little bit as we neared the crowd, I hated gatherings. "Please let's make this quick."

Lavender rolled her eyes, "Come on you big baby, we're almost there. Trust me, it's really worth it."

I let myself be dragged again and I almost felt relieved when she stopped. She shook me out of trance and nudged me and then pointed at the wall. I looked up and found a huge poster hung on the wall with the Capitol's seal on the bottom. I looked at her and she shrugged, smirking at me.

I look up at the wall and began reading it.

" _ **Want to soak in to the glory of the Capitol?"**_

" _ **Prepared to end the life of poverty you might be living in?"**_

" _ **Win the competition and leave your whole life in the district for a much grander life at the capitol with a huge mansion all at your disposal."**_

" _ **Winning this competition will give you the opportunity of being a game maker for the upcoming games and a pardon of the games for you and your family. Winning these games will make you gain statuses of being regular capitol Citizens."**_

" _ **Apply now and submit all your ideas by the upcoming week. Winners will be chosen and contacted three days after the submissions."**_

I looked back at Lavender dumbfounded and she smirked at me again. I reread the sign and shook my head to reaffirm that it's real and Lavender laughed at that. I turned to her and I smiled.

"It that really true? I'm not imagining stuff right?"

Lavender laughed again, "No weirdo, you're not. Here's your chance superstar, ready to blow them away?"

I smiled as I stared at the sign again. I'm ready, I'm so ready.

 _ **Goldie Trent**_

The first thing I notice was the fact that Christian Luscious is standing a few feet from me.

He was wearing standard jeans, a T-shirt and trainers and he was also with this girl that he always hangs out with, the one I'm not sure whether she's his friend or if there's more than friendship between them.

I sighed and looked away. Christian Luscious pretty much doesn't know I exist. Why would he know an awkward 15 year old girl who doesn't even have a remote fascination of the idea of killing people for fun? Most popular girls are the ones who train at the academy, the ones who are too blonde, too ditzy and too sparkly. I laugh at the thought as I remembered Glitter Gold's intentional fall down the third floor window. Apparently breaking your legs in two places falls under the "Let's prepare for the games" category.

"Hey, you've been standing at this place for like an hour now, can we go?"

I turn to Emerald, my best friend who was staring at me with a knowing look on her face.

"What, is it bad to enjoy the weather and not be coped up at your house while you go on, on your rampage of how the human body works?"

I say sarcastically and Emerald rolls her eyes.

"First of all, it's like a 100 degrees here, so no technically this wether doesn't fall on the "This weather is 'oh so fun' let's enjoy it" category. And second of all, I don't think it's fair to mark "staring at Christian Luscious back while he's gaping at the freaking wall" as enjoying the weather. You're just enjoying staring at a guy who you never talked to. Seriously, if you're going to take time off to stare at the guy, why don't you try talking to him for a change? I'm sure he doesn't bite. If he does though, it's only fair to bite him back."

She added that part and smirked a little to herself. She has been pushing me to talk to the guy for like three years now. Yes, my unrequited fascination with the guy started when I was 12 years old when I watched him recite the entire fourth act of Macbeth from Shakespeare to some bully who just stared at him like a fish out of water, complete with the open mouth. Because seeing a guy reciting the full passage of "double double, toil and trouble does something to a literature geek like me.

"yeah like that's going to happen" I mutter at her and she rolls her eyes.

"well then, can we go? It's too hot in here and I'm hungry!"

I shake my head and look back at the place where Christian was standing to find him already halfway back to his house. I sighed but then looked back at the place where he was standing. What was so interesting about the wall he was staring at?

"Okay, we'll get out of here, just let me see something first." I tell her and she shrugs.

I walk towards the wall which was sort of crowded again, and I maneuvered my way into the crowd, my small figure helping me easily.

I read through the sign and I found myself smiling widely at it.

"Emerald! Hey Emerald!"

She pushed her way through the people and came up next to me and I looked at me questioningly. I point at the sign and she stares at it skimming it with her eyes. She finally looks at me and said, "You think you're up for this?"

I smile, if Christian Luscious thinks he's up for this, then I definitely think so too.

"Well, it's not wrong to give it a shot."

I ran all the way back to home afterwards, after telling Emerald that I needed to get ready. I have no doubt in my mind that I really do have a shot in this. I decided to ask the most important person in my life first though, it's only fair.

"Hey mom, have you seen Grandpa?"

My mom looked up and sighed at me. I definitely know what's going on inside her head. She's probably wishing I was up at the academy working my way up the challenges and preparing myself for the games. My mom never voiced out her ambitions for me, but she always made it clear that those kids who train must have really proud parents.

"I think he was in the living room honey." She said, turning back to the stove and stirring the pot slowly. I shake my head and turn to the living room. I found my grandfather on his favorite chair, laughing ominously at some capitol channel, rolling his eyes quiet excessively. My grandfather shows a lot of disdain to Capitolians, he was sure that they're not as airheaded as they make themselves out to be. Yeah, my grandfather was full of conspiracy theories.

"Hey gramps, watcha doing?"

He stares at me and he smiles widely. That's my grandpa, the only member of my family who really understands me. He's a genius in his own right and he always says that the genius gene skipped a generation and it landed on me instead on my father, gramps' son. That's why I'm his favorite. Or so I like to believe.

"There's my Gigi, what have you been up to this day?"

My grandfather is the only one who calls me Gigi. Bullies call me goldilocks, which my mom thinks is rather funny. I didn't catch the funny part though. My friends just call me by my name. My grandfather though, decided that it's not special enough and he calls me Gigi, but he always says "my Gigi" and when he doesn't, that's when I know that something is terribly wrong.

"Hey Gramps, nothing much. Hung out with emerald, got ignored again. You know, the usual.

My grandfather is the only other person who knows about my stupid crush on Christian. He always claims that he's stupid for noticing me, or he'll grow into his feelings soon enough. I'm not sure, but it seems like my grandfather has more hope than me on this matter.

"Oh, anything else?" he says, chuckling.

I sigh and sit on the arm of the chair he's sitting on, "Wellll…"

He looks at me and takes of his glasses and looks at me as if urging me to go on with the story.

"Okay, there's this competition, the capitol is hosting it. It's for choosing gamemakers. Now I know what you feel about the games and the capitol gramps, but it's just, I feel like I have a real chance to win this….and well…Christian is also going to sign up…" I trailed off.

He just stared at me for a few moments before replying. "So you finally talked to him, eh? How did that go."

I smile weakly before replying, "Well. Not exactly, I just saw him looking at the sign with too much excitement. So I decided, well, why not?"

My grandfather looked at me again and shook his head. "So you're telling me that you're entering this competition because the boy you've been obsessing over for the past couple of years was looking at it and he was excited? Really Goldie?"

I cringed at his use of my first name and I sighed, "No it's not just about him, it's just. It's like I finally found my calling you know. I've never been much of a fighter which is basically what district one is all about. That, and being beautiful. I know it's not about looks but I never felt I belonged here. This competition just stirs something inside of me. It's like, I could finally channel my overthinking and stupid ideas into something that could be used. I could finally feel like I have a purpose…"

My grandfather stared at me before taking me in his arms and stroking my hair. I let him do that and I sigh in his arms.

"You listen to me, you're beautiful, you're wanted and you matter. Never let whatever that surrounds you influence you. And whenever you feel like you don't have a purpose, come to me and I'll remind you…" He stopped for a moment, and then continued, "And if this competition is what's going to make you happy, then do it. But I don't want you to feel disappointed if you don't get picked. We never know what those stupid Capitolians really want…"

I look up and I smile at him and then I hug him tightly.

"Thanks gramps." I said and he hugs me back. I release him first and began going out of the room when I stop suddenly when a thought come to my mind.

"You'll come live with me though, if they picked me to be one? You won't leave me alone right?"

His eyes slowly smiled at me and he gave me a small wink.

"I'll go wherever you go My Gigi, wherever you go."

I smile at him and leave the room. I took two steps at a time until I reach my room in the second floor. I close my door as I stare at my now vacant desk.

"Be prepared Capitol, World war Goldie is coming through" I grab my laptop and I start it up.

"And she's going to blow you away…"

Christian Luscious was submitted by: District7axemurder

Goldie Trent was submitted by: starryskiesbrite

 **A.N: Another two gamemakers introduced. Goldie is probably one of my favorites; I love her relationship with her grandfather…**

 **Anyway thanks to everyone who submitted, but I still need a lot of tributes and one gamemaker. The ones I have are amazing till now. The Gamemaker slot that is left is the Technology gamemaker, so put that in mind while submitting. Anyway, till now I have 8/26 tributes. So please, type away and send me some tributes. As soon as I get District one and two tributes I'll start writing their introductory chapters.**

 **Here's an updated list of the tributes. The form is on my profile.**

 **Tributes:**

District 1 (Female):

District 1 (Male): Luminescence Emerald (Submitted by: Golden Moon Huntress)

District 2 (Female):

District 2 (Male):

District 3 (Female):

District 3 (Male):

District 4 (Female): Sunrise Noble (Submitted by: GalacticCoach)

District 4 (Male):

District 5 (Female): Alina Siyeon (Submitted by: District7AxeMurder)

District 5 (Male): Tesla Mason (Submitted by: Kgeesy)

District 6 (Female): Piston Copperton (Submitted by: Kgeesy)

District 6 (Male):

District 7 (Female):

District 7 (Male):

District 8 (Female): Bobbin Taper (Submitted by: Kgeesy)

District 8 (Male):

District 9 (Female):

District 9 (Male):

District 10 (Female):

District 10 (Male):

District 11 (Female):

District 11 (Male):

District 12 (Female): Acantha Black (Submitted by: Golden Moon Huntress)

District 12 (Male):

District 13 (Female): Azdah Martell (Submitted by: Golden Moon Huntress)

District 13 (Male):


	4. A Plan

**_Brielle Taryn_**

I have always hated harvest day.

For a district eleven girl, hating harvest day is practically unheard off. Harvest day is when the farmers and their help begin to gather the ripe fruits, vegetables and anything else they grew from last spring.

When I was young, I hated it because my dad will always look at us; me and my sisters as if we're the biggest burden on earth. I wasn't exactly a disrespectful child so I never got the satisfaction of yelling at him that it's isn't exactly our fault that we all turned out to be girls. My dad didn't exactly grasp the idea that the child's gender is determined by the father.

Now, I hated it because it reminded me of the fact that it has been two years since I was thrown out of home for being pregnant out of wedlock.

I guess you could say that my parents, or well, my father is a tad bit strict and old fashioned. Women, he says, are born to serve. By being pregnant, I was labelled a whore who slept with anything that walks on two hind legs. My father decided that I was a disgrace and threw me out. My mother could only obey and was forced to watch me being thrown out of the house. My sisters weren't much of help, my older sister Dakota is the only family member I keep in contact with. The rest either hate me or take after my father, or are too scared to contact me.

Two years ago I was thrown out in the streets on harvest day. And nine months later, I was blessed with my pride and joy; Savannah Taryn.

From that day on, I decided to live for her and only her. If my family wanted to denounce me, then I really didn't give a shit. I took up a job as a barmaid, taking the night shift and leaving Savannah with my neighbour and good friend Pakuna Timmons who has three children of her own and who gets what I'm going through; having been disowned by her family for marrying her then husband. I enjoyed the independence, and I loved the fact that I was no longer forced to work in the fields. For a district 11 citizen, the smell of soil made me want to puke.

I'll admit though, the pay of being a barmaid wasn't great, but for someone who dropped out of school, I guess beggars can't really be choosers. I resigned myself that this is probably for the best and I have no better option than this.

It was also on Harvest day when I found the thing that's going to change my life forever.

I was walking down the town's square enjoying the sun of the first few days of spring. It was my favourite weather of the year; not too cold but not too hot. I enjoyed being in this weather and I sighed as I held Savannah in my arms who giggled happily and smiled at everyone who passed by.

District 11 people are mostly friendly, a little bit closed minded but friendly nonetheless. It was a known fact that district 11 citizens where the hard workers of the nation. The ones who spend their days in the sun. Also, the ones who are least likely to win the hunger games.

I shivered despite the warn weather. Ever since I was thrown out of the house, the idea of the hunger games never really left my mind. What if I was reaped? What would be of Savannah? My family will never take her in.

I came to a stop when I found a huge gathering around the wall of the Mayor's mansion. Curious, I came closer trying to keep Savannah Steady in my arms. People made way to me and I smiled in thanks. I was met with a huge poster that was written in big bold letters. I gasped as I read it and I reread it again just to make sure.

" ** _Want to soak in to the glory of the Capitol?"_**

" ** _Prepared to end the life of poverty you might be living in?"_**

" ** _Win the competition and leave your whole life in the district for a much grander life at the capitol with a huge mansion all at your disposal."_**

" ** _Winning this competition will give you the opportunity of being a game maker for the upcoming games and a pardon of the games for you and your family. Winning these games will make you gain statuses of being regular capitol Citizens."_**

" ** _Apply now and submit all your ideas by the upcoming week. Winners will be chosen and contacted three days after the submissions."_**

That's it? I could actually make it out of here and escape a predetermined death? I could actually have a chance of making a better future for my daughter?

Could I do it though? Could I help the capitol in the massacre they do each year? Could I invest the time in figuring out ways to kill innocent people just so I could get a better life?

I looked down at my daughter's smiling face and she lifted her little fingers and placed then on my cheeks. I smiled back at her and she buried her face in my arms.

Yes, I would do it, anything for her. I would do what my parents didn't do for me; I would fight for my daughter, even if it meant that I would lose a part of me when I contribute to the massacre that happens.

I straightened myself and I grabbed a form from the wall without hesitating. I walked towards my place and I hastily knocked on my neighbour's door and she opened smiling at me.

"Well hello Bri, How's the little one doing?"

I smiled at Wheatly; Pakuna's husband. It wasn't much of a mystery why her family refused to give them their blessing when they got married. Pakuna was the daughter of the previous Mayor and when she married Wheatly, a simple farmer, they viewed it as a disgrace that she married well below her class. It wasn't a secret that her father wanted her to marry a peacekeeper from two.

"All good, Wheatly. I was wondering if Pakuna could watch Savannah for a while. I guess I have some things I need to do.

Wheatly smiled at me. "Well off course, come in, she's helping Citrus with her homework."

I smiled at him and went inside. I went straight to Citrus and her twin sister Lemon's bedroom. Pakuna was sitting patiently next to her 4 year old daughters trying not to smile at their attempt of learning the alphabet. Vaguely, I remember the poster on the wall, how it said that it is guaranteed that if chosen, you and your family would be safe from the games forever. You would live as capitol citizens and you wouldn't have to worry about a thing all your life. I smiled, as I thought about something that will definitely make winning this opportunity more than worthwhile.

"Hey Pakuna, Can you watch Savannah for a little bit? There's something I need to do…"

 ** _Marius Conway Clifford_**

If there was anything I love the most about District 4, it's the beach.

The feeling of the wind blowing hair out of eyes along with the scent of the sea foam makes me feel extremely relaxed. If it wasn't for my parents, I would have probably stayed here day and night.

The Ocean is the one thing that sets us apart from the other districts. I guess as far as location goes, I would always believe that our district got the best deal out of it.

"Marius!"

Without turning around, I sighed. I recognised my younger sister Nerissa's voice and I lifted myself up and turned around towards our house. Our house was another thing that I loved. It was on a cliff, opposite to the beach. You'd think it's worthy of being a summer house for rich capitol citizens. Then again, getting my house wasn't exactly an easy feet.

You see, my house lies at the edge of the victor Village. My grandmother won the games when she was 16. I've been living in this house since my birth. My Father was a victor as well, and we have our own house, but I've always preferred living with my grandparents then with my own old man. Ever since his win, my father decided that it's an honour that I would too, he decided that I should compete and win as well. It was also around that time when I decided I wasn't fond of being the Capitol's plaything.

I've seen what the games do to my grandmother. Till this day, she won't come near sand. According to my grandfather, her games were located in sand dunes, with Quick sand areas. Her own tribute partner was lost to quick sand himself. She only survived because of her quick thinking. She won't tell us what she did, but she will always have this haunted look on her face whenever she would talk about it. She won the 180th hunger games and till this day, the mere thought of the hunger games makes her face cloud over.

I love my grandmother too much to tell her that while the idea ofd the hunger games was morbid and pure animalistic and wrong, the concept of strategy and technicalities behind the hunger games were quiet entertaining. For me, the hunger games are simply and easy to win if you have a quick strategy that you follow through with. Life is all about strategy to me. Like a puzzle.

Growing up, I've always been fond of the games that require you to exercise your mind. Puzzles and logic games were the one thing that I could never ever get tired of. Anything that could stimulate my mind becomes a favorite. This is what led me to believe that all the hunger games need is a good strategy. Follow it, and you'll definitely be able to win. Stray away from it, and you'll die.

I've had plenty of examples to support my theory too. I noticed and wrote down which tributes I thought could win but because they deviated from their strategy, the met their downfall.

Watching the hunger games from afar and deciding on what strategy to use is quiet fun, but I never really wanted to experience it hands on. I'm not the type of person who would fight. I don't like fighting and I prefer to come up with a logical explanation and solution to things rather than fighting about it.

"You do realise you've been staring into the ocean for three hours, right?"

Nerissa says, smirking. Nerissa is my 15 year old sister. She has an identical twin sister too called Nerida. My family is one of the largest families in four. With five of us, and me being the eldest. I have another brother called Harbor and a little sister called Aquarius.

I guess having a big family is what kept me sane a little bit because being the grandson and son of a victor isn't one of the greatest things ever. Sure I was sort of popular with girls at school, but guys hated my guts. They blame it on the fact that I'm a victor's child, but I knew that most of them were jealous of the fact that girls find me cute; which is weird really, because I've never been interested in any of those girls. You would too, when half of these girls only want to shack up with you because you're the son of the great "Tide Clifford" who famously managed to kill five people in the bloodbath and injure three. If you think about it, it isn't exactly the kind of reputation you'd want to uphold.

"Well Nerissa, you know how it is with the ocean. I never really seem to want to leave it."

Nerissa laughs, out of all my family members, I'm probably the closest to Nerissa, my grandmother and my youngest sister Aquarius. With Nerissa though, it was different. Nerissa was so close to my age that I always felt like I could tell her anything and she won't judge. For instance, she's the only one who knows about my fascination of the strategic part of the games. She doesn't judge me, but she hates the games herself, because one of her friend's brothers was reaped a few years back, and he came back in a box.

"Well, take care, Father wants to talk about something *Important* so be prepared to listen to yet another lecture about how Carson Bay is getting really good at training and how you're disappointing him by not attend the academy.

I rolled my eyes and placed an arm around Nerissa as we walked back to the house.

"Hey Mare? I've been meaning to tell you something…"

I looked at Nerissa and she smiled at me, "Remember when you told me about this thing you have for the games. The strategic part or whatever?"

I nodded at her and she placed her hand into her pocket and took out something.

"Well, this came in the mail today. I thought you would like to look at it."

She held out a small leaflet in her hands that had the Capitol's coat of arms on it. I looked at her questioningly and she shrugged.

I turned it around and read the words and my eyes widened.

" ** _Want to soak in to the glory of the Capitol?"_**

" ** _Prepared to end the life of poverty you might be living in?"_**

" ** _Win the competition and leave your whole life in the district for a much grander life at the capitol with a huge mansion all at your disposal."_**

" ** _Winning this competition will give you the opportunity of being a game maker for the upcoming games and a pardon of the games for you and your family. Winning these games will make you gain statuses of being regular capitol Citizens."_**

" ** _Apply now and submit all your ideas by the upcoming week. Winners will be chosen and contacted three days after the submissions."_**

"Jeez, wow. This is something alright…"

Nerissa laughed, shaking her head. "I knew you would be interested. I guess I hate the games myself but I thought maybe this might be your calling. I mean dad always goes on and on about how the games bring glory and how it's such an honor to be chosen. How about you surprise him by being the one who's responsible for creating the games itself?"

I smiled thinking about it. It would definitely make my father lay off my back. But then I think about my grandmother, who still hasn't recovered from her own games. What would she say?

I looked up at Nerissa and smiled sadly. "What about Grandma though, what do you think she'll say when she finds out I'm signing up to be the creator of the one thing that she still has nightmares about?"

Nerissa didn't say anything. She just looked at the ocean for a few moments and then she sighed. "I guess you never know what she might do Marius. But if you really want it then I think you should go for it. An Opportunity like that won't come again you know. Grandma loves you enough to understand that…"

I look at her and she smiles at me softly and I find myself nodding at her.

"Alright then, I'll do it."

Nerissa smiled softly at me and nodded as well. I walk back to the house with her in my arms. All I'm thinking about is the line from the poster that said "Being a game maker for the would make you gain a pardon of the games for you and your family" and I smile to myself. Maybe entering this will me gain a lot more than I'm bargaining for. A happy life for Nerrisa, Nerida, Harbor and Aquarius.

And this is all what matters.

* * *

 **Brielle Taryn was submitted by: Golden Moon Huntress.**

 **Marius Conway Clifford was submitted by: ThousandSplendidSuns**

A.N: I'm trying to update as soon as I can but I have finals so these days I'm pretty busy. Thanks to everyone who submitted. I love all of your tributes. I really need a lot more though and only 8 slots are taken till now. So please submit.

Form is on my profile along with the spots available. Thank you so much already.

And thank you to my lovely reviewers!


	5. An Extreme Resort

_**Catalina Helios**_

I fingered the files filled with the submissions. I smiled a bit to myself; this idea was definitely worth it. The whole impression I'm giving the district is quiet amusing to watch. "It's like I'm giving them hope...huh..." The amount of applications I got from the districts was overwhelming. I knew it would work because the poster clearly stated that if chosen, they would be pardoned from the games forever. This sure had a huge effect on most citizens.

I looked across the room at the pile of Capitol applications. They weren't much compared to the ones coming from the districts. To be honest, Capitol Children aren't exactly known for their creativity. I would know.

So far, I've picked out two capitol gamemakers and six district ones. The remaining two still haven't been chosen. They're proving to be very hard to pick because the positions left need to be filled with people who have actual expertise. Children have plenty but not exactly enough to fill the position.

I looked at the ones I chose and Smiled. The ones I picked from the Capitol are people I've heard of personally. Sparkle Thames was the three time winner of the national robotics contest. If you count the fact that she started winning them at the age of 11, you would know that she's certified genius, even if she doesn't look and act like it most of time.

Lord Colander was a nationally sought after artist with plenty of clients from all around the country. He's becoming a household name and he's only 18. There have been plenty of rumours that he's not right in the head, but I've met the guy. He's as sane as an average Capitol person; he's just a little bit committed to his art. He also happens to come from a very influential family. It would be very productive to have such a family on my side.

The rest of the applications were placed in front of me. I guess I hit the jackpot with all of them. I would have never thought that there would be so much hidden talent in the District.

The First Application on my right caught my eyes.

 _Name: Brielle Taryn_

 _Age: 18_

 _Achievements: No known ones, but highly creative. Scored above average in the Creativity simulator._

 _Most suitable position(s): Technology/Mutts_

 _Worthy Ideas for Arenas: Play on the idea of children's toys and things that look innocent but are in fact deadly traps or weapons that tributes can use/Mutts made from children's toys and book characters_.

 _Closest Family Member: Only has her daughter, Family disowned her._

That one was interesting. The File had a picture of her and what appeared to be her daughter who looked no older than a year old. I won't have a problem controlling that one. Threaten her daughter and you'll keep her on a leash.

The one next to it also caught my eyes because the picture of the girl looked pretty healthy for a district citizen.

 _Name: Aisselyn McFee Brinley_

 _Age: 16_

 _IQ: 177_

 _Achievements: -Known Granddaughter of the Famous Victor "Frollo Mcfee Brinley" (Winner of the 175_ _th_ _hunger games)  
-Highest Score in the Creativity Simulator  
-Highly Trained in Martial Arts and the Games Tactics (courtesy of her grandfather)  
-Highest Exam Scores in the District  
-Genius IQ of 187  
-Managed to Create an Alarm system from scraps of Metal that alerted her and her cousins whenever her grandfather had a nightmare._

 _Most Suitable Position(s): Head Gamemaker/Technical Gamemaker_

 _Worthy Ideas for Arenas: An Arena in the Shape of a Circus Tent  
An Arena in an abounded Zoo_

 _Closest Family Members: Parents are dead; her closest family members are her siblings, cousins and above all, her grandfather._

This girl was definitely very interesting. An IQ of 187? Created an Alarm system out of Scraps? I'm very impressed. The thing about her being related to a victor helps too. I don't know Frollo myself, his games were played when my own grandfather was president, but I've heard about his infamous hunger games because it happened to be a quell. Another thing that's remarkable about her is the fact that she's pretty beautiful. Her hair looked pretty unkempt but in a fashionable way. It was bright red and it reached her waist. It was in waves and it had a certain gleam to it. She also had remarkable golden eyes. I imagined this girl as tribute and sighed. She would have earned plenty of sponsors with that face.

I take a look at the picture sent and I smirk. She sent two photos; one was a portrait of her, and the other was a picture of her family. She sure had a huge one. I could count about 12 kids, including her, along with an old man and three dogs. This girl will also be kept on a leash. She sure would do anything to keep her cousins safe.

Among the applications chosen, I knew that there were five girls and three boys till now. I still have to pick two others. The choices are becoming harder because all the ones chosen already are pretty amazing. I hold up another file and sift through it.

 _Name: Christian Luscious_

 _Age: 18_

 _IQ: 148_

 _Achievements: -Started to Design Arenas on his Computer when he was 8  
\- Mastered the AutoCAD system when he was 6  
\- Has Plenty of Expertise regarding the games (He comes from District one)_

 _Most Suitable Position(s): Programming Gamemaker/Technology Gamemaker_

 _Worthy Ideas for Arenas: The Cornucopia will be in a valley setting . With 4 landscapes surrounding it each having a new terror. To the west, is a Beach with nice sandy-white beaches with a Kraken and Angler Mutt. In the East, is the ruins of in the middle of Manhattan where they can cross into Brooklyn where it stops in Downtown there is acidic rain and collapsing buildings. The North has a Misty Rainforest Area with plenty of plant life and water, but endless mutts to huge Spiders and Poisonous Snakes. The South is surrounded by rocky cliffs where one wrong step can lead to s fall on the jagged rocks below it has earthquakes and avalanches._

 _Closest Family Members: Parents, but he's also pretty close to his Best friend, Lavender Tomas, 18._

I was pretty surprised when Ariana picked out his form and told me that he's from District 1. Most kids from district one are fighters. I wouldn't have expected to see a Brainiac coming from one of the most trained districts. The thing that surprised me though, is that not only one, but two kids from District one were good enough and caught mine and Ariana's eyes. The boy, Christian, looked a little like a stereotypical District one male. Without the overly muscular built though. He looked a little bit Hispanic; with hazel eyes, thick eyebrows and brown hair.

I reached out across the table and caught the other District one gamemaker. This one was pretty young compared to the others.

 _Name: Goldie Trent_

 _Age: 15_

 _IQ: 130_

 _Achievements: -Scored Above Average on Creative Simulator  
-Attends a selective Science and technology School in One  
-A little bit "Above" Average IQ, but extreme Intelligence in Arts and Creativity._

 _Most Suitable Positions: Traps/Technical Gamemaker_

 _Worthy Ideas for Arenas: Giant hourglass where one bowl (with the Cornucopia) is a desert slowly getting sand poured into it and the other (with mutts and other dangerous articles) is a lovely shrub-filled marsh slowly getting emptied of water. You can only get from one bowl to another by either diving into the water of the marsh and swimming down or climbing one of the enormous palm trees in the desert and swimming up._

 _II. Underground maze of tunnels, like a mole's but scaled up to eleven. The mutts would be giant beetles/worms and the only sources of food stashes of berries and nuts made by... well, who knows what?... in the corners of tunnels._

 _III. Frickin' labyrinth. Cornucopia in the centre. Minotaur mutts. What's not to like?_

I laughed at that part and I caught myself and raised my eyebrows. I normally don't laugh easily. I shook my head and continued down to the last point.

 _Closest Family Members: She has Her parents, and her friends but her closest family Member is her grandfather; Morgan Trent._

I smirk at the selected ones and drop the File of Goldie Trent next to the others. So far, So good. I glanced down at the remaining Files of Marius Conway, and Atlantis Cords. I yawned and decided to check them out tomorrow. I was pretty tired today so I left the desk and went to the other room only to find my Avox hurrying in my direction. I narrow my eyes at her.

"What is it?"

She whimpered a little bit and signed to me that my father is in trouble. I raised my eyebrows at that. These days, my father causes the trouble, he pretty doesn't leave his room to be IN trouble. I rolled my eyes and I gestured to her to leave. She curtsied and I changed my path and headed over to my father's room. I was met by three doctors and two nurses in the doorway.

"What the hell is wrong with him now?"

The main Doctor looked at me and then exchanged some looks with the other ones.

"Get on with it! What the hell happened?"

I yelled at him and he whimpered.

"Uh Miss Helios, I'm afraid…umm…Your father is …quiet. I think he…."

"SPIT IT OUT!"

I yelled and his shoulders sagged a little bit. He looked at me resigned. And blew out a breath he's been holding.

"He's been saying pretty weird stuff and commanding some outrageous things. He wanted me to Call Ariana. Something about cancelling the hunger Games…."

"WHAT!"

I shouted at him and he whimpered again. I couldn't believe that stupid old idiot. What the heck was his freaking problem now?

"Well, DID YOU? Did you get him Ariana?"

He shook his head and I nodded at him, a little relaxed at the thought. The danger though, is still there.

"You guys go now, I need to speak to him myself."

They all nodded quickly and left me alone in front of the door. I needed to end this. Whatever the hell is wrong with him needs to end, and it needs to end now.

"Oh Dad…I have a little surprise for you…" I muttered to myself as I closed the door behind mem grabbing one of the empty needles from the table next to the door…

 **A.N: Well here's another Chapter. I really want to start the reapings but I have no tributes so I really need you guys to submit! I guess I'll make the chosen gamemakers meet the next chapter and I'll let them have a meeting the chapter after it and then I really hope I would begin the reapings after it. I still need A LOT of tributes (Check the list on my profile, along with the form.) Please submit and if you could, leave a review and tell me what you thought of the chapter. Any suggestions would be really appreciated!**


	6. A New Beginning

_**Hexagon "Hex" Nikola**_

The insides of the train were surprisingly cool, I instantly missed the warm, humid air of District 5.

I lightly stepped into the Train amidst the people who were gathered to see me off. A part of me still wasn't convinced that I actually managed to get chosen to be a gamemaker. I never thought that I would actually succeed. Mostly because I entered this competition just to spite my father in the first place.

The sound of the people from outside was still quiet loud. I let myself get comfortable in the huge, wide train. I know that the trip to the capitol takes about a day or something. So I decided to change my clothes to something more comfy. I head left to the room in the train and quickly change my pants to sweats and I took of my shoes and I head back to the main compartment. The faces of people from District 5 were still visible as the train hasn't moved yet. I couldn't decipher their expressions though. Some looked at me with Envy, some others with disgust and some with indifference. A small number of people looked at me with a completely different emotion; hope. Being a gamemaker originating from district 5 could benefit them, and maybe I could. Even if I have no idea how much say I'll have over these games since my position wasn't announced when I was announced as a winner.

I heard voices coming from the entrance of the train; a gruff thick voice of mild cursing, followed by mild laughter and giggling. I frowned and slowly got up from my seat and approached the entrance only to be stopped in my tracks when I saw who entered.

I felt stupid for not suspecting, but seriously, off course the two current mentors would be accompanying me on this. I may be a capitol citizen now but these two go to the Capitol every year because of their mentoring activities and pre-game preparations. I stopped in my tracks when I was met by the Always-drunk, unsmiling and battered eyes of Albert Watt. Albert won the games when he was 15. His arena was also kind of different and it had a seriously mad twist; it was a school, but the twist is that, at midnight, one unlucky tribute location was broadcasted for all to see. His games were said to be one of the most brutal games in Hunger games' history. It was at that year when the gamemaker at that time announced something called "Pre-Quell" he would test out the rejected quell ideas on the arena. One of the ideas was reinforcing the "Voting the tributes in" policy, but it was only applied on selected district. District 6, 8, 10 and 12 had tributes who were voted in. 9, 11 and 13 had tributes who were aged from 8 to 11 and 1, 2 and 4 had to send in twice the amount of tributes. 3 and 5 had to be picked from families who never took any tesserae. In the end, there were a total of 32 tributes in the arena. Instead of the usual 6 careers, there were 12 and among the tributes were 6 tributes who were extremely young. Not to mention the ones who were voted in. Those mostly consisted of juvenile delinquents who were convicted of something or the other in their districts. One was a rapist, two were thieves and one was a drug dealer. This year, there were two 'Career packs', the first one was the normal one that had 1, 2 and 4. The other one consisted of the criminals who were voted in.

Districts 9, 11 and 13 all fell in the bloodbath with the exception of Cassia Martel from 13 who were allied with Albert. Albert and his younger ally were hidden almost the entirety of the games until Cassia got pneumonia and he was forced to leave her in the cave they were staying at, at night. It was unfortunate that her location was the one broadcasted that night in the sky. The careers took the chance and went to the cave were they proceeded to torture the young girl so she will tell them the whereabouts of her ally. Since Cassia didn't know, they slit her throat and cut her body to pieces and then hung her head at the entrance of the cave for Albert to see the moment he came back. Albert went on a rampage when he saw her head hung on the entrance.

He then proceeded to hunt all careers down by putting up traps made from electricity and coils. He would catch them, electrocute them for a while and then cut of their heads and hang it on the trap. He did that to the girl from 4, the guy from 1, the girl from 2 and the guy from 4. It was only when the guy from 2 found the head of his district partner when he went crazy and searched high and low for him. But Albert was already prepared. He was showered with sponsors after he killed almost all of the career tributes. He set up a huge trap and then lit a fire next to it. He then waited for the District 2 guy to come along and after being caught, he tortured him by electrocuting him repeatedly; dousing him with water after each round. After the guy was almost dead from all of torturing, Albert dragged his body and the moment he saw the mutts he threw his body towards them. He then watched as he was mauled and eaten to death. He then hid the rest of the games in the trees, only emerging when only one tribute was left. He managed to take out that tribute easily by a throwing knife.

After 10 days, Albert Watt emerged as the Victor of the 194th Hunger games with 6 kills up his sleeve. He was dubbed the Electro Monster, his technique of electrocuting all his victims became known throughout the capitol, it was even said that some Capitol citizens used to scare their kids into behaving by saying that they're going to haunted by the Electro Monster if they don't finish their plate.

Since he lived in the victor's village, I never exactly had the chance to meet him, and judging by the way his lips curled at the sight of me, I guess that's a good thing. He began opening his mouth to say something but he was cut by the sound of the same musical laughter from a few moments ago. He rolled his eyes but the side of his mouth quirked up a bit. Soon were joined by the other victor, the most recent victor and one of youngest victors in the history of our district. 14 year old Solar "Sol" Alba won the 222nd Hunger games at the mere age of 12 years old. You should've seen the look on her face when she was reaped two years ago, she didn't cry, but she became so pale that her skin was almost see-through. Her score was a two. And her odds were 80:1, one of the lowest ever odds in the hunger games. Still Solar, or Sol as she likes to be called, surprised as all.

She survived mainly because of her camouflaging skills and her vast knowledge of edible plants. On the 6th day, she was sponsored two batteries which had an energy capacity of 2600 milliamp-Hours, and four coils of thick wire. She then stalked the careers who, to her luck, were all taking a bath in a stream at the edge of cornucopia. She then made a simple circuit using the supplies, and placed the end of the wire in the water. She then ran and climbed up a tree before being noticed. At first, nothing happened, but after about 15 minutes, it began working, all career tributes were electrocuted to death within five minutes. One day later, Sol emerged as the victor of the 22nd hunger games, after spiking the alliance from 9's canteen of water with night lock juice and after tricking the guy from 12 into eating Nightlock berries. She was the first victor in the past 10 years to win the hunger games without physically injuring any tributes by hand. She was also dubbed the Capitol's sweetheart as the last tribute to win the games aged 12 was about 25 years ago.

Sol noticed the tension and offered me small smile, she held out her hand at me. I stared at it before slowly shaking it and she offered me another smile.

"Hello, Hexagon, I'm Sol, but I guess you already know that." She grinned at me and I offered her a small smile.

"I see you've already met Albie, Albie can you actually believe that one of our own became a gamemaker?"

Albert, or Albie as Sol called him just grunted in response and she rolled her pretty blue eyes. She then turned to me and smiled, "Oh don't you worry about him, he's a big old softie really. He just gets real cranky whenever we make one of these visits to the Capitol. You'll get used to him."

Albert grunted again, but this time, he spoke, "He ain't have to get used to me, Golden boy is now a Capitol citizen he shan't have to ride with us back if he wants to."

Albert narrowed his eyes at me before getting up and taking long strides until he reached his room, he then slammed the door behind him. Sol winced at the sound of the bang but turned to me and smiled.

"Albert really is a big old softie, it's just that, well, you being a gamemaker is what's setting him off. Cause it's the people like you who'll be the reason for 24 other kids' death every year."

She smiled sadly and got up and left me by myself. Somehow the little impulsivity that I did to spite my dad is finally catching up with me.

Do I really want to be seen as the reason why 24 other kids die?

I really didn't want to know the answer to that question.

* * *

 **Amity Hyacinth Coal**

The first thing I noticed the moment I set foot into the train was the smell of the food.

Being a district 12 citizen, I was nearly impoverished; we almost never have enough to eat. When I first applied to this gamemaker contest, I didn't see it as a chance to escape the games as much as I thought of it as a chance to escape the poverty we were living in. I had three younger sisters and two brothers, and that includes my twin Brother Char. My youngest sister almost died twice when she was a toddler because she was getting little to no food. When I first saw the leaflet that announced the competition, the words that caught my eyes was "Become capitol citizens". Immediately I imagined my family and I safe forever, with plenty of food to eat, living a safe, warm life away from the dangers and the poverty of District 12. I didn't even think about it, I signed up immediately afterwards.

I decided, however, to think nothing of the results, I knew there's a huge chance that I won't be picked, so I decided not to get my hopes up, lest I get disappointed. I was surprised though, when my name was muttered by the mayor two hours ago, and I was even more surprised when the entire district were screaming and shouting words of encouragement as I entered the platform to get on the train. I guess you could say that they believed that they might stand a chance in the games now, seeing as one of their own would be creating them.

I took long strides until I reached the room that was laden with food, I didn't waste any time as I sat down and started eating everything my eyes fell on. At first I tried a golden like sticky thing from a jar. It tasted incredibly sweet and I decided that I loved it. I then tried a brown cube that tasted very sweet, it also happened to melt in my mouth. I knew that Terra, my sister would love it. I also tried some juicy meat, which tasted nothing like the rabbits' meat that I use to catch and cook sometimes. By the time I tried everything on the table, I heard a loud banging of a door closing and some sounds of people talking and finally the train started moving.

"Enjoying Yourself?"

I jumped up, not expecting to find anyone. Hank Caves, our oldest and only remaining male victor stood watching me, his eyes twinkling easily. Hank was in his sixties now, and each time I see him at the reaping, he seems to get older. I guess you would too, when every year; you had to watch two people you tried to help get killed. I guess the only time I saw Hank Caves looking physically younger, was the year Dusk Meadows won her games; about 6 years ago. For the first time, in very long, he managed to save the life of one person. The last person, who won, turned to drugs following her win. She managed to overdose about three years after she won and died, leaving Hank to mentor District 12 tributes on his own. That is until, the 218th Hunger games rolled in and Dusk Meadows won at the age of 16.

Speak of the devil, before I could reply, Dusk sauntered into the room and sat at the table across from me. She didn't say anything, but she didn't need to. If looks could kill, I'd pretty much be dead right now, because Dusk Meadows fixed me with a very frightening glare.

I didn't say anything but I turned to Hank and gave him a small smile and turned back to the food. I was about to get a second helping from the brown bars when a knife was banged right next to my left hand which was now shaking in the air. If I hadn't moved my hand to the right at the right timing, I would have had four fingers now instead of one.

"DUSK!"

Hank yelled from behind but I could only look at my hand that was about to be chopped off. I looked back at the fuming girl in front of me and I glared at her.

Now normally, I'm not a violent person, but I decided a long time ago that if I was ever attacked I wasn't going to stand idly and wait to die. I would retaliate.

"What the heck is your problem?"

I stared at her, and she raised her eyebrows and looked at me amusedly.

"My problem? Well let's see, how about, that a girl younger than me would be technically the cause of the death of two poor children that I would have to mentor myself? Hm? Or wait, maybe my problem is the fact that a girl younger than me signed up herself to be a lapdog of the Capitol, and in the process, decided to be the true reason behind all the coming deaths of the poor children of the districts? I thought those chosen have above average IQ but all I can see right now is a dimwit with a serious case of Cluelessness!"

I stared at Dusk who was red in the face and fuming. Hank was anxious and he was shaking his head and trying to calm his fellow victor down. I just stared at Dusk and she looked at me mouth clenched and said, "Do you still want to know what my problem is Coal? Or should I elaborate more in case your pea brain still doesn't get it?"

I narrowed my eyes at her and I snapped, "Look here, Dusk, I'm sorry you feel this way about me, but seriously, if we're being honest, I really don't give a shit what you think. If I signed up for this, I only did because my family was dying of poverty." She began to open her mouth to yell some profanity but I didn't give her the chance.

"I know that everyone at 12 had the same problem, but unlike them I know an opportunity when I see one. It may not be convenient. It's not ethical and it may be kind off morbid but it was the only way I could save my family. I'm sorry you feel this way about me, but the truth is, I don't care if you do. Life is not a popularity contest and in our world, in our stupid stupid world, life is all about survival, and I'll do anything to protect who I love, even if it goes against my morals."

Dusk stared at me for a while before shrugging off Hank's hands that were on her shoulders and stalking off to her room. Before she closed the door however, she threw me a withering glance before shaking her head and closing the door behind her. I was left breathing heavily and I was startled when I heard Hank's voice.

"Sit down there missy, the train's movement might make you lose your balance."

I looked up at the kind, blue eyes of the older man and I nodded lightly before grabbing the chair and sitting down. He sat across from me and picked up an apple from the fruit basket. He cut it into two pieces before offering me a half; I took it from and let the fresh juice of the people trickle down my throat. We sat there in silence, I only broke it when Hank took one of the brown bars and popped it into his mouth.

"What's that? The thing you just ate?"

He smiled at me and his eyes twinkled. I decided right then and there that I liked him. Laugh lines appeared on his face as he took another brown bar and offered it to me.

"This. Is called Chocolate. It's a type of Candy that most Capitol citizens enjoy eating."

I popped the bar into my mouth and enjoyed the taste once again. Hank released a sigh and looked at me.

"Don't take Dusk's outburst to mean that she's a bad person-"

"She almost cut my finger off!" I cut him off and he sighed again.

"She would have never hurt you, she knows better. She just has a bit of temper and you must excuse her position. Her games were only a few years back; they're still pretty fresh in her mind."

I took a deep breath, "What does this have to do with me? I really signed up to save my family; I didn't make this shit up!"

"I understand, but Dusk harbours and extreme hatred to the Capitol and everything related to it. She lost her entire family because of them, you know…"

I heard about that. Shortly after her win, Dusk's family was all killed in a Capitol orchestrated bombing. The rumors said that it was because Dusk refused to take on male clients arranged by the president. It was widely known that popular female and male tributes could be sold to capitol citizens following their win. Dusk, however, refused to sell her own body, and as a result, all her family was killed.

I sighed and nodded at Hank who patted my shoulders before moving from his place and going to his room. Before closing the door though, he looked at me and smiled sadly,

"Whatever you do Amity, don't let go of your humanity. Because when you do, that's when you really lose. That's when you really cease to exist."

He then offered me a final sad smile before closing the door. I was left to ponder on what he said. Lose my humanity? What does he mean? One doesn't just lose their humanity. Or do they?

I shook my head and I stood up and entered my room. I decided not to think too much about it.

Heaven knows, the answer I came up with scared me more than meeting an armed Dusk Meadows by myself at night.

 **A.N: I know I said this is the Chapter where the tributes meet each other, but then I realized that I wanted to introduce these two characters before they all meet each other so you guys could have a feel of their personalities. Which one did you like more? Leave me a review and tell me.**

 **Timeline:**

 **Next Chapter: (Chapter 7) Gamemakers meeting each other and meeting with Catalina Helios; the new president of Panem.**

 **(Chapter 8) District 1 Reaping**

 **(Chapter 9) District 2 Reaping**

 **And so on…**

 **I'm also considering doing something, but I need to know whether you guys would like that or not.**

 **So I'm considering dividing the 13 Districts up, like the first four districts would get a Reaping, the next four (From D5 to D8) and From D9 to D13, they would get a chapter at the remake center. That way, I could get all the pre-game stages to you in long chapters. If you want all districts to experience that but with shorter chapters tell me. I could Set up a Poll in my profile.**

 **I also decided that every three chapters I would post a chapter about the gamemakers. At the games I would also do that, do the submitters of gamemakers won't feel left out.**

 **Please review and submit, I have about 4 places left, they are:**

 **District 6 Male**

 **District 8 Male**

 **District 11 Male**

 **And District 12 Male**

 **A Huge thank you to everyone who submitted tributes to me!**


	7. An Avant-Garde Era

**Atlantis Seraphin Chords**

The Capitol's air reminded me vaguely of the smell of caramel.

I rolled my eyes at the thought, because I've just been introduced to Caramel a few hours ago, in the train. The entire journey to the Capitol was amazing. I've never felt that full in my entire life. It also helps that Capitol food was a whole other kind of amazing, compared to my usual District's food that is.

I stood at the entrance of a white building that overlooked a beautiful park that was located in the center of the city. I wasn't sure what I was waiting for, but Java, one of my District's victors told me to wait for the rest of the chosen Gamemakers to arrive.

It was kind of scary to be left alone in a city I know nothing about, but Java clearly stated that it's not her place; she doesn't want to meet any person related remotely to the president or the Capitol. She did seem a little sorry for leaving me alone, and more so because the other Victor, Yuri, was practically of no use, seeing that he was lying passed out and intoxicated almost all the trip.

I wrinkled my nose as I remembered the very nasty stench of alcohol that surrounded him. It was horrible just being in the room with him. I don't want to imagine what Java goes through every day.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a sound of an approaching car. I turn around to find it coming to a stop right about the same place the car that got me stopped. I got a little excited, you would too when you've had no one to talk to for the past 15 minutes and passersby's started looking at you funnily because you look different than what they're used to.

The driver quickly moved till her reached the door but it was already opening and I craned my neck to see who came out. A girl, who looked a couple of years older than me; about 16 or something, came out. Her hair was bright red and she had it in a messy bun and she was wearing very casual clothing. Big glasses almost covered her eyes, but with my 20/20 vision, I could clearly see bright hazel-golden like yes behind those glasses. She was beautiful in a way that I'm not used to. People in district three are all mostly dark haired and dark eyed. I'd give it a guess that she's probably from district 2 or 1 but again, looks can be deceiving.

She said something to the driver who then shook his head and she sighed and turned away. That was when she spotted me for the first time.

She took a few steps towards me before stopping. In the background, I could hear the driver pulling away; the girl however, gave it no thoughts as she fixed me with a stare. It wasn't unkind, just thoughtful. She tilted her head to the side before finally speaking.

"I take it you're the prodigy from three everyone's talking about?"

I stared at her, stunned. Prodigy? News sure did travel fast. How did they know, however that a prodigy was chosen? I thought the other gamemakers were all kept a secret from one another till we meet here.

I guess the girl took it that I was extremely confused because she gave me a small smile before replying.

"Other Victors talk. The mentioned that only one particularly young girl was chosen, so I just put two by two and said you're the prodigy that the mayor was talking about when I was escorted to the train. I didn't mean to freak you out."

I smiled at her and nodded a little.

"Yeah I guess I could be young compared to the ones chosen. I'm sorry but I know nothing about the other people chosen. I thought our identities were to be kept secret from one another until we met here."

The girl smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah well, they didn't, per say, tell me anything. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. If it helps though, I don't know anything about the ones chosen except a few bits and pieces that don't exactly help. Like why some of them were chosen in the first place; these kinds of things.

I nod my head at her. I guess she's kind off friendly. It would definitely help if she's friendly if we're going to be cooped up practically most days of the year strategizing. Seeing I'm the youngest, it would help that I'm friendly to one of the older kids.

"Yeah? Like what?"

She smiled at me and started talking.

"Well like, the guy from District one is an ingenious architect. He designed over 250 arena designs and they're all amazing I hear. And the girl from 1 is a creative genius. She could easily dream up the most sophisticated ideas and put them in practice. The girl from 12 is natural prodigy in building things from scratch. I heard she made an inventive washing machine for her mother because they couldn't really afford a real one. And the girl from 11? She's extremely good with her hands and has the minds of the A district three person. She was able to make a wind turbine from metal scraps to generate electricity when she no longer had the ability to pay for her own. The Guy from 4 scored the highest score in the Capitol's aptitude test, so that definitely worked in his favor I guess. I know a little about the guy from five, but I heard he's a genius in his own right, finishing school at the age of 12 and being considered for a scholarship in the capitol that someone in his family turned down because they hate the capitol. Which is ironic really, because he applied to be a gamemaker…?"

I stared at her and she smiled a little and shrugged.

"Wow, all that from bits and pieces?" I was genuinely surprised. I knew nothing about the chosen gamemakers and she knew practically all their strengths.

She laughed a little un-humorlessly. "Well, you could say I have a little advantage…Because well…"

She stopped for a second before shrugging and sighing.

"My grandfather is a victor so the Mayor loves sucking up to him and anyone related to him. That's partially the reason why I actually knew I was chosen before the results were actually announced by a few days."

Her voice sounded distant and I decided not to press her for information on that. I wanted to be on her good side after all. I decided to change the topic.

"Um…Well, I'm Atlantis, District three. Or was District three anyway."

I said, holding out my hand. The girl's face broke into a full smile as she took my hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you Atlantis, I'm Aisselyn, Call me Lyn though; and I guess I was from district Seven."

I gave her a small smile and she smiled back.

"You know, it's kind of nice to have someone your age around. I mean, I've only been around people about your age all my life. I don't communicate well enough with people of my own age"

She looked a little sad at the thought that I wanted so much to ask about what made her so secluded from people of her own age. I felt however that I'm overstepping my boundaries because we just met. I was saved from saying anything else by the sound of another car approaching. This pulled us both from our own thoughts as the car came to a halt next to us and the sounds of two people found its way to our ears. We shared a look and looked back to finds a boy, who looked about 18 and had dark brown hair and a slightly muscular body and who looked quiet exasperated. Followed by a smaller girl who looked about 15 or 16 and who had her blonde hair in a pixie cut and who looked quiet agitated at the boy herself.

" _What the hell are you talking about? Off course Darth Vader will win against Cersei Lannister. She's no match to him anyway Have you seen what she did to anyone who opposed her?"_

" _She's a raving lunatic, that's why she did what she did! And she has an incestuous relationship with her brother!"_

The guy rolled his eyes, _"Yeah Because Darth Vader used to promote peace and handed out ice-cream to kids in his free time. He's as crazy as she is!"_

" _Darth Vader led an entire galaxy and almost won, I think that makes both of them fair game!"_

I look back at Lyn and she's trying to hold back a laugh. I smirk at them and I shook my head.

"I give it two months, and these two will probably end up making out in the control room."

I laughed at her and she shook her head.

"Naah, two months is way too much time. I say four weeks tops."

We both look behind us startled. We were met by a guy who looked close to Lyn's age, with dark brown hair, sea green eyes and a mischievous smile. He also wore glasses and he was much taller than Lyn.

"I'm Marius, District 4. And I now could safely say that applying to this thing definitely payed off."

He was looking at Lyn with interest, but she either she wasn't getting it or she was playing dumb.

"Atlantis, Three. And this Lyn, she's from seven." I said, shaking his outstretched hand. He smiled at me and looked at Lyn.

"Pleasure."

"So three weeks you say? I say an even month."

Marius looked my way, and smiled.

"Want to make a bargain of sorts. Or a bet on it?"

I smirked at him and nodded.

"It's a bet. Winner has a request from the other two. Who's in?"

Lyn looked quiet apprehensive but she gave me a small smile and nodded and Marius smiled as well and he shook my hand.

Oh well, at least I could practice my matchmaking skills around here. And here I thought I would find the other gamemakers quiet dull…

* * *

 **Sparkles Thames**

I heard the sounds of the other chosen district gamemakers from a distance. It was easy to distinguish them seeing that they're the only ones who looked quite different than all capitol citizens.

Right next to me was the other only chosen Capitol Gamemaker. I guess everyone would know who Lord Cloander Handsome is. It's no secret that he's the most sought after artist in the Capitol. I heard New Italia was also recruiting him to draw and paint some pictures that would be hung in their Congress or whatever they call it. What he had in talent though made up for his nearly non-existent social skills.

From the moment we met each other, he kept his eyes on the Rubik's cube in his hand. Sometimes he would take out some metal scrapes and tinker with them before taking out the Rubik cube again. He would take it apart and make different designs with the left-overs.

I tried twice to make a little conversation with him but he resisted each time by either replying in shorts words or nodding, or just ignoring me altogether. I blew a hair out of my face as I looked at the other gamemakers and I smiled a little at the unconventional look of them. I could see two people fighting in a friendly looking way. At least the way they're both hiding a smile while fighting is an indication. I saw two girls, one looking quiet young and another who looked closer to my age standing with a handsome boy who was sneaking looks at the older girl. Standing a few feet away were two other girls, one who looked older than everyone else, standing with a girl who looked a little younger, but who was also older than me.

I glanced at Lord who was paying them little to no attention and I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I'm going to introduce myself. You want to join me or…"

"No"

I rolled my eyes and turned away. "Okay…stay introverted."

I looked at the three groups and decided to join the two girls who by far, looked the most inviting. Both girls appeared quiet poorer than all the others; wearing what appeared as second hand clothing and looking quiet malnourished in comparison to the others.

I approached them slowly and one of them took notice of me and smiled a small smile.

"Hello! Sorry we're crowding over you justice building. It's just; we don't know where to go…"

I stared at her and it dawned on me that she thought I was a Capitol onlooker who was complaining about their position in front of the congressional Building. I smiled a small smile and shook my head.

"Oh no, I'm not here to complain. I'm like you; I'm a gamemaker as well."

The girls stared at me and smiled. The one who talked to me offered me her hand smiling.

"Oh well, that changes things. I'm Amity and this is Brielle. Districts 12 and 11, respectively."

I smiled and shook her hand. "I'm Sparkles and you do know that you're no longer from the districts right?"

The girls smiled at me, and the one called Brielle replied. "Yeah, we know but old habits die hard you know."

I nod at them and look back at the other gamemakers before turning to them again.

"I take it you don't know any of them?"

They shook their heads.

"Naah, we arrived after all of them and we decided not to cut their conversations with each other. Although, the girls over there looked quiet friendly. What about the guy you were with, he's from the Capitol too right?"

I rolled my eyes as I remembered Lord. "Yeah, he's from the Capitol all right. But no, he's not friendly. Actually, he's not anything at all seeing that he resisted any form of communication I tried having with him. He'd much rather play with the things in his hands than talk to me I guess."

The girls looked apologetic a bit and I shrugged. It's not easy being a genius I guess.

"Hey, you guys are gamemakers too, right?"

I looked to my left and I saw a boy looking at all three of us with interest. I guess with the amount of chatter around us I hardly payed attention that a car came and dropped someone off.

"Yeah we are. I'm Sparkles. These are Brielle and Amity. I'm from the Capitol and they're from Districts. I take it you're from the Districts too?"

The boy nodded smiling. "I'm Hexagon, Just call me Hex though. And yeah I'm from the Districts, District 5 actually."

"Hello Hex, It's great to meet you"

Amity said, smiling at him, Brielle nodded smiling a bit. I was about to ask him another question when a man in a uniform came out of the building and all around us, conversations came to a halt.

"Well, seeing that everyone is finally here. Let's make our way inside, The President was anticipating your arrival."

I got a little excited at the thought, finally I'll get to meet the president. My parents aren't exactly the most influential people around the districts so we don't get those invites to any of the president's banquets. Around me, almost all of the others looked a bit strained. I guess you would too when you're about to meet the president of your own country.

"Well, here goes everything…" I whispered to myself as we were escorted to a room that was all white.

In the middle, standing in the center of a half circle made up off chairs, stood Catalina Helios in a pristine suit and a serene looking smiles.

"Welcome Gamemakers, to a new Chapter of your lives. Prepare to leave your whole previous lives behind because from now on, you're the ones responsible of making history in Panem with a whole new Era of ingenious hunger games. Gamemakers, I salute you."

I stood there and watched Catalina watch us all with a small smile on her face and I smile to myself.

"Oh boy, this is actually happening…Sparkles Isabella Thames, it's your turn to make History…"

 **A.N: Sorry for the slightly late update, but I had deadlines and finals and I had no time to edit this chapter and post it. Well, only one chapter left till the games! I want to thank everyone who submitted tributes. And to the people who are reserving places, please try to send your tributes as soon as possible because I want all the tributes with me so I could actually start the story.**

 **I decided on the format of the chapters. Thanks to AmericanPi for her suggestion, I decided to choose her proposed format that was an updated version of the one I was going to do.**

 **Districts 1- 4: Reapings**

 **Districts 5 - 8: Train Rides**

 **Districts 9 and 10: Prep Stations.**

 **District 11: The first four chariots Rides**

 **District 12: Chariots 5-8**

 **District 13: Chariots 9-13.**

 **I will then use alternate POVs in the remaining chapters and throughout the games themselves. I will most likely create a poll after the above chapters to see your favourite tributes and find a ground I Could work on with the POVs. As I said, each two chapters, I'll make a Gamemaker Chapter so the people who submitted them don't feel left out. Next Chapter will be a gamemaker one and then the reapings would begin.**

 **Sorry for the long A.N, I just needed to keep you guys up to date. Review and tell me guys what you think of this chapter and of what you've seen in their interactions together.**

 **Your reviews are what inspire me to keep writing, so please leave a review!**

 **Adios!**


	8. A Family

**Christian Luscious**

I was trying my hardest to concentrate on what the Acting president, Catalina Helios was saying. I found it hard however, because of the jumpy energetic blonde standing on my left.

When I first met Goldie Trent back when we were being introduced as the chosen ones from our districts, I noticed that she hardly ever made eye contact with me. I didn't question that, I just shrugged it off. Maybe she's introverted and doesn't take to people easily, Heck, I'm like that. When we get on the train however and both Argentum and Aphrodite left us to our expenses, probably to go make out somewhere, I noticed that she fixed me with a rather weird stare. When I met her stare questioningly, she started, rather weirdly, to insult my T-shirt.

" _How can you even wear that? Are you seriously with the Lannister's?"_

She didn't even introduce herself or anything; she just jumped on the fact that I wore my "Long Live the Lannisters" T-shirt. It was quite weird to have her point that out; mostly because I had no idea that someone other than me got where the reference is from. Game of Thrones is one of the things that represented the remnants of the United States of America. The Country Panem was before the dark days. It was practically unheard of throughout the districts and not much of the capitol is interested in Pre-Capitol Culture. I happen to have access to the DVDs because some great great great grandfather or grandmother was a direct descendent of the author. It has been passed down for generations and eventually my great great grandfather managed to preserve nearly all the videos somehow. I thought, till this moment that I'm the only one who has access to them, Goldie however, made it very clear that she watched all the seasons, and that was quiet unhappy of my choice of a favourite family in the Game of Thrones universe.

I made the mistake of pointing out that Cersei Lannister is actually my favourite character and that was when shit has hit the fan, literally. I guess the argument against my choice of favourite would have went on forever if I hadn't noticed her "Luke I'm your father" shirt, that had the helmet that Anakin Skywalker or Darth Vader wore. I sarcastically told her that if she supports Darth Vader then I could support Cersei in peace.

The Argument kept on going on and on until we arrived at the capitol and it actually continued on until the guy in the suit went down the staircase to call us. It was then when I noticed the other people. They were mostly older kids, with the exception of three younger looking ones; a girl who looked no older than 12, another girl who looked about 13 and a boy who looked about 13 or 14. The Boy and the 13 year old girl were with two malnourished looking girls. And the youngest one was with a guy who looked a little younger than me and a cute looking red-head. The guy was busy ogling at the girl when we were at the steps, and even now, when we we're meeting with the acting president, he's not hiding his apparent attraction to the girl. The girl is kind of cute but I have an aversion to red hair so I didn't see her necessarily as pretty. The Guy didn't have the same problem though and he was throwing fleeting looks in her direction. He actually got caught a couple of times and he smiled in return when she caught him. I wish I was that confident in myself when I like a girl, though considering that me liking anyone hardly ever happened because I'd rather have brains than beauty, and seeing that our district had an aversion to any kind of brains, I had very hard luck in the girls department.

Still though, when I looked to my left and saw Goldie smiling enthusiastically at whatever the acting president was saying I felt a little weird in my stomach. It was weird however because I hardly know the girl and yet when she happened to challenge my choice of clothing, I happen to feel this sensation. She was cute in a pixie kind of way I suppose. Her hair was blonde and it was cut in a pixie cut. She was short for her age and she lacked any muscles that girls from 1 who went to the academy would have. I'm pretty sure Goldie never set foot into the academy

"And Finally, I wish to tell you all good luck and I trust you'll need it. Running something like the hunger games is not easy. I have total faith in you as I handpicked you myself. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in the tributes favour."

Catalina Helios winked at us and waved before leaving the room. Shortly after an Avox entered who was instructed to show us to our Shared complex that we'll be living in. Yes, we'll all be living at the same place; probably to make it easier for the president or rather his daughter to keep an eye on us. When Goldie heard that we'll all be living in the complex together, she protested, stating that she thought that our families get to join us, and the complex won't hold all those people. Her tone was quiet accusatory, I was afraid that Catalina Helios would fire her at the spot, but she surprised me by smiling at her in a calm way, stating that our families would be arriving shortly and that they'll be living in the same compound just not in the same building and that we'll be welcomed to go to them anytime we want. The girl from 11 protested at that, saying that she can't be without her daughter, which made us all look at her in surprise. She looked no older than me, about 18, yet she had a daughter and her tone implied that there was no husband who could look after the kid instead. She didn't flinch from any of our stares and met Catalina's stare with an equal one. Catalina responded by saying that her daughter could stay with her but only until she turns 5 years old. She would then be assigned a nanny, and she would be living in the guest house with her. The girl from 11, or Brielle wasn't thrilled, but she nodded then, not saying anything.

We followed the Avox until we went to the garage and he then told us to enter. I was sat next to Goldie from one side and the guy from 4 at the other; who, incidentally was still busy trying to make a conversation with the girl from 7.

We moved at a fast pace of 10 minutes until we entered a gated community and shortly after we parked next to a huge, extravagant estate. I was in awe at it. Even though living at one wasn't bad, I was still pretty intimidated by the beauty of the Capitol. We all followed the avox as he led us through the doors and stopped us right next to the door. He then proceeded to hand out key chains to all of us, with each keychain having two keys in them that were labelled "House" and "Bedroom" He then bowed a small bow and left us after handing us booklets that said "Welcome Gamemakers" and "Daily Routines".

"Huh, well that's a quiet fan-freaking-tastic."

I looked behind me at the boy from 4 who was eyeing the booklet with a smirk on his face. When he noticed as all looking at him he shrugged.

"'Daily Routines' has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

I rolled my eyes and looked at my side to find Goldie doing the same.

"Well, hello people, since we'll be living together let's get over with the introductions shall we?"

I groaned, Seems like 4 is one of those annoyingly sociable people.

"I'm Marius Conway, 17. I'm from 4, and I contrary to popular belief, there exists people from 4 who hate fish." He was smiling and the girl from 7 was trying to hold back a laugh. He looked at us sideways and his eyes fell on the capitol guy who till this moment didn't talk to anyone.

"And you are?"

The Capitol guy looked at him blankly.

"Leaving" he said.

With that, he turned around and left the room. Marius stared behind him and shrugged.

"Nice to meet you leaving!" he called out and the capitol guy didn't even stop, he continued on till he reached a room titled something that wasn't visible but I assumed it was his name and he closed the door behind him.

"Don't mind him,I guess being a famous artist could make you pretty unsociable."

We all turned to look and the only other Capitol resident smiled.

"I'm Sparkles. I'm 13, almost 14. I'm also from the Capitol"

Brielle and the girl from 12 smiled and waved and I remember that these were the two who were standing with her when we all met at the steps.

"I'm Hexagon. I'm from, was from 5. And I'm 14" The guy next to her said. He was quiet tall for his age but he had child features. He wore big black glasses and he smiled a little.

"I'm Brielle, and I'm from 11. And before you all ask, yes I really do have a daughter and if someone has a problem with that, well while I'm sure your thoughts are pretty fascinating, I'd rather you keep them to yourself."

I smiled a bit at that and nodded at her. No one seemed to have problem with it. In fact, Marius actually asked what her daughter's name is.

"Her name is Savannah" Brielle said smiling and we all nodded at her, smiling.

"Well, I'm Amity, and I'm from 12. I just turned 16 and I'm a Libra" the girl next to her said.

We all looked at her blankly and she rolled her eyes. "My horoscope, it's Libra. Didn't you guys take Astronomy classes in school?"

Goldie was the one who replied, "We did, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Amity frowned at that "Well, Horoscopes, constellations and Astronomy. You do the math. Being a Libra already tells you more than you need to know about me."

"Yes, it tells us that you participate in the mass cultural delusion that the sun's apparent position relative to arbitrarily defined constellations at the time of your birth somehow affects your personality." Hexagon said smirking, without missing a beat.

"Participate in the what?" Amity said frowning and Hexagon, along with the redhead and the 12 year old, laughed.

"Sorry, I just think Horoscopes are bullshit that's all."

Amity looked quiet offended by that. And she proceeded to try and convince us all otherwise.

"I think I'm gonna fit in here just alright…" I said to myself.

 **Lyn McFee-Brinnley**

I smiled as I watched the girl from 12 trying her hardest to convince Hexagon of the Horoscopes. I smirked at his apparent disbelief of the thing she's so passionate about. I felt someone's eyes at me and I looked up and Found Marius, the boy from 4 smiling at me. Till now, I'm not sure what to make of his stare.

Back at 7, no one ever looked at me like that. The looks I got were mostly looks of anger, envy, Jealousy or mock. I wasn't used to someone who looked at me with so much passion. It scared me an unnerved me a little. We just met, so unevenness isn't questionable. Back home a look like that would have made me extremely suspicious, for one, guys didn't like me in fear of the popular girls shunning them. If they did, it would be either on a dare to go "Ask the weird victor's granddaughter out" or a competition on who would hook up with the genius to find out if she's "As Genius in bed as she is in class".

This and countless other things made me extremely afraid to go near guys back at home. But Marius, he knows nothing about my life in 7. In fact, he knows nothing about me.

They were all looking at me now. I realised I spaced out for a while that I missed the rest of the conversation between Hexagon and Amity.

"Um...I'm Aisselyn, but call me Lyn. And I'm 16. And yes I'm the grand-daughter of the famous victor "Jupiter McFee" and no he's not bloodthirsty in real life."

They all looked at me blankly and Marius just smiled at me.

"Oh your grandfather is a victor? So is my grandmother. 173rd hunger games."

I looked at him and his smile widened. "Looks like we have somethings in common." I smiled at him and nodded. Nobody else said anything for a moment, until the girl from 1 looked at me.

"Why did you assume that we'd have a problem with that?"

The guy from 1 also nodded and Atlantis looked at me. I shrugged.

"I'm used to being looked down on because of the status of my grandfather; since we're a non -career district and all. My grandfather was also responsible for the death of his district partner, which the whole district still continuous to blame us on." I say to them and Goldie mouthes 'Assholes' to the herself and Christian shakes his head in disgust. Brielle left her place and came and stood next to me.

"Hey, screw them. I was looked down on because I got pregnant out of wedlock. My own family shunned me and if it wasn't for a kind lady who later became my neighbor took pity on me, I would have died from hunger a long time ago. You're here now and none of us blames you or your grandfather."

All of the others nodded.

"I mean, we would have all done the same things if we were thrown in the games. I would have killed. We all would have. Only one survives and I'd rather it be me." Amity added and smiled at me.

"Hey and if it will make you feel any better I could pay a trip back to 7 and kick those little assholes butts." Marius said, also joining my side. I looked at all of them and smiled.

"It was a good decision after all" I whisper to myself.

 **A.N: I'm so sorry for the long time without an update. Life is pretty tough when you're a college student. I also know that Christian's Part is so much bigger than Lyn's part, but that's because originally I was going to post only Christian's POV. I added Lyn when I was editing the whole chapter. The next update hopefully won't take as much time.**

 **Next Chapter is the start of the reapings!**

 **Like I said, every three or four chapters I'll post a gamemaker one. Next Chapter is District 1!**

 **Review please and tell me what you think so far and who your favorites are!**


	9. One is For Family

_**One is For Family**_

 **The First tribute chapter. District one tributes were submitted by:**

 **Silvia Shinns Submitted by: I believe in nargles too**

 **Luminescence Emerald Submitted by: Golden Moon Huntress**

 **Thank you so much for you tributes and I hope I did them justice!**

 **Silvia Shinns - 17**

 _ **"3, 2, 1 FIGHT!"**_

I immediately lunged at the scared looking 9 year old. She was one of the newbies that the academy recruited. It was a tradition that the trainers would pit the newbies against the strongest fighters in the academy. I wasn't ashamed of myself that I was purposefully aggressive with her, but being admitted into the academy isn't supposed to be easy. Academy trained tributes have to be winners. And winners aren't wimps.

The sword and shield clanged on the floor and the girl was close to tears. She crouched in the ground and covered her face and I rolled my eyes.

She was clutching something in her hands, a locket of some sort and I smirked.

I held out my hand that didn't have the sword to her. She looked at it for a few moments before unclutching her hands from the locket and holding my hands. I didn't hesitate, I immediately swung the sword and cut of her locket from her neck without leaving a mark on her.

"Rule number one Kid, never trust your opponent. Ever."

I threw down her locket next to her and turned around. I heard the distinct sound of the clutter of metal and I immediately held up my shield and turned to face her, only to find her throwing the sword in my direction. I easily deflected it.

"Rule number two, never turn your back on your opponent" She spat, and with that she clutched her locket from the floor and ran towards her brother who stood at the entrance of the academy glaring at me. I rolled my eyes at that and turned to leave when I heard my name from across the hall.

I turned, trying to find the source of the sound, when I saw my older sister Goldie, looking at me with disdain and mockery in her eyes. I took a deep breath trying to control the anger that's bubbling up inside me. I throw down the shield and the clang rang through the empty hall and I sped up to meet my sister Goldie.

Goldie won the 216th Hunger games at the age of 14 years old. She single-handedly managed to take out the entire career pack that made the dumb mistake of underestimating the 14 year old. My sister was as bloodthirsty as any career. She killed all 5 people in the career pack and then tore her way through the game finishing off all the remaining tributes. She managed to pull off a win in less than 6 days. In District 2, she's considered a legend.

Till last year she was the mentor for District 2, but after Aphrodite won last year in that disastrous arena, she had to resign her post for her. The head mentor, Gladius Temple, who is the oldest living career from District 2, was sorry to see her taken off from her post but per regulations, he can't do anything. The most recent winner has to be the official mentor of the district. Even though Gladius managed to pull off some strings and he made Goldie an official mentor on Aphrodite until she knows how mentoring works.

It's pretty tough being the sister of a widely celebrated mentor. Everyone expects you to be half as good as her. Most of all, your own parents.

My parents were never abusive; on the contrary, they were always supportive parents. They always encouraged us to do our best; they never showed favouritism with either of us. That was until Goldie won the Games.

Since that moment, my parents became Goldie's Number one fans. I was still their daughter, but it was always "Goldie did this" or "Goldie did that" or "Your Sister Goldie never gave us that much trouble"

It became so intense two years ago that I started overeating and then throwing up. Their negative comments and critical attitude about my behaviour in general made me feel under-appreciated that binge-eating and then throwing up became my only Saviour.

My mom always had this thing against my weight. I was never fat, I'll admit, I was quiet curvy growing up, but I was never called fat, and before Goldie won, she never commented on it. After her win, she would always give me those discreet looks whenever I start eating. The look in her eyes always suggested that I should decrease my eating habits. It wasn't until she told me in a moment of anger, "You'll never win the games when you're that hefty! You won't be able to run, you'll end up being a bloodbath and you're going to plunge the family's name down the drain"

Her words started echoing in my brain ever since then. It was hard on me because I was constantly compared to my sister, but her words that time broke something inside me. All I could think of is that I'll never be good enough. I started binge-eating and then forcing myself to throw up shortly afterwards. Soon enough, I started throwing up anything I eat. My parents started noticing shortly afterwards, as my face began to lose colour and I would lose consciousness and faint for a few minutes. After my first visit to a doctor, my mom started berating me for it, instead of consoling me. She thought I was doing it on purpose because I wanted attention. That's when I started to engross every moment I have in training. I was like a machine; I didn't make anything stop me. The only thing that made me lose focus sometimes, were my sister's comments of my fighting style. My sister never complimented me, in fact she never saw me good enough. She claims that this is her way for boosting my work ethic by constantly undermining me.

I hated how much her words had a huge effect on me.

"You know, you'll never win the hunger games when you're busy trying to exert your power on silly helpless little nine year olds.

Pick on someone twice your size the next time, and maybe then I'll be impressed."

She rolled her eyes smirking at me, and turned away. She then stopped and turned to look at me,

"Oh and make sure to take a bath before changing into your reaping clothes. You reek of sweat."

She turned away and walked before being stopped by some of the new recruits who were asking for her autograph. She smirked and gave me a smug look before returning to her ever-growing number of fans.

I closed my eyes, again trying to keep my temper in check and I stormed outside of the hall. Instead of going straight to the showers, I went to Gladius Temple office.

Without knocking, I pushed the door and I looked at him. He stared at back, levelling my stare with his own; he then signalled for the two people in his office to get out and then looked at me as if waiting for me to start speaking.

"I'm ready, and I'll do it whether you and my sister like it or not."

Gladius stared at me again and waited for me as if he needed an explanation. When he saw that he's not getting any he took of his glasses and replied.

"I'm not the one you have to convince; your sister doesn't think you have what it takes yet."

"Well guess what? I really don't give a flying fuck what she thinks. Aren't you the head mentor, or are you seriously waiting for a 22 year old to give you the orders on how to run this place?"

I seemed to have stuck a nerve as his eyes boiled with anger at my outburst. He then nodded.

"Very well, do whatever you want. But, be careful, your sister already made her selection and you'll have to race for the chance to volunteer."

I nodded and then left the room careful to purposefully bang the door on my way out. I easily slipped into Goldie's office to find out who was selected and I then raced to the showers. I had only twenty minutes to get ready, and I won't waste another moment.

 **Luminescence Emerald - 17**

I deflected another strike attempted by my opponent lazily. It was the last day for training in the academy before the reapings and I was doing the last impression training for the two head mentors; Gladius and Goldie.

It was an easy fight; I wasn't even giving it undivided attention like other fights I've been in. I was up against another 17 year old hopeful, but I knew I already had this in the bag. At least from the way Goldie seems to be following my movements and giving me the slow silent encouraging nods.

It was starting to get too predictable in this fight so I decided to end it. I quickly made swerve in the other direction that was meant to mislead him, he quickly meant for him, so I took the chance and I head-butted him, sending him and his sword to the ground, he tried to hold the sword again and I kicked it away and pointed my own sword to his neck.

"STOP"

I dropped my hand and I looked at the two trainers. Goldie was giving me an appreciative smile and when she noticed I was looking at her, she gave me a small wink.

"Great work you two, but after looking over this fight, it was decided unanimously that Luminescence will be representing the district this year. Apollo, You're still a little unprepared, try to practice more and be ready for the next year, in the meantime, Luminescence , you should head for the showers, you need to make yourself ready for the reapings.

I gave a small nod and Gladius gave a short one of his own before leaving.

Goldie was still looking at me appreciatively and I levelled her stare.

I already decided on Gleam as your District partner for this year, you should work well together. Also..."

She came closer

"Be sure to invest in some breath freshener before you enter that train, it might come in handy."

She gave me a small wink and left.

"Man, you're lucky alone to have someone like Goldie interested in you; I heard she's as fierce in bed as she was in the arena..."

I just stared at Apollo unfazed by what he was saying and I started moving towards the showers.

"You know, this silent attitude you have going on isn't going to save your ass in the arena. I suggest you start moving that tongue of yours and start talking if you want any kind of sponsor to look at you."

I didn't even look at him, I just continued on my way to the showers.

I knew everyone wasn't on board with my whole silent attitude, and I won't lie and say that I'm not mute by choice, but I won't succumb to peer pressure and just speak because people think I should. I am silent by choice, but I have a good reason to just remain silent.

Ever since that accident that left my older sister Iridescence badly burnt, I decided to be mute by choice. She was badly burnt in an accident last year when the academy we used to go to was set alight. We have been struggling to pay for her treatment ever since then.

Contrary to popular belief not everyone from one is extremely rich. For one, I have always been one of the unfortunate kids who had relatively poor parents. I guess we were doing well for a while, at least until that accident that took my father's life when I was I 8. But it has been so long since he was gone that I wasn't sure I remember how times were before he died.

I took a quick shower and I quickly got dressed in some of my late father's clothes, and I took off to my house to take my brother Radiance to the reaping with me. Iridescence was 19 this year, so she's finally not eligible for the reaping, which won't make any difference since she stopped training ever since the accident that left half her body badly burnt.

Radiance was already waiting for me on the doorstep with a small frown on his face. When he saw me questioning look, he just rolled his eyes, and only said "Mother" before getting up and joining me on the way to the town's square where the reaping is taking place. I glanced at our house and I shook my head. I knew in my heart that my mother will never change. I took my brother's hand and we took off to the reapings. It was already crowded by the time we got there, and Radiance was already off to the 15 year old section, I still couldn't spot Gleam's Unnatural Bright orange hair from where I was standing, but I gave it a little thought, I knew Gleam from training, she's as airheaded as they come but she's incredibly ruthless when it comes to fighting. The trailer of the dark days began rolling out and I watched in silence for the hundredth time. I didn't focus much until the silver clad Marcellus Vanilla went up on the stage and clapped his hand enthusiastically. This was Marcellus's second year as escort for District one and his enthusiasm was evident since in his first year, the winner was from the district he's representing. Everyone in District one knew that the Reason Aphrodite won last year was because the Male tribute from our District came down with food poisoning halfway through the game instead of using the alcohol sent in to clean his ally's wound, he drank it, and then he stumbled down a huge hole and fell to his death. That coupled up with the fact that the Arena was the exact replica of the year before, sealed the win for Aphrodite, one of the least likely candidates to win in the first place.

"Happy Hunger Games District One, and May the odds be ever in your favour!" His voice was high pitched and annoying. I tried ignoring it but I knew I had to watch out for it because I need to be on alert as soon as he announces the male tribute name.

The lucky lucky female tribute for this year is "Glitter Grace!" A young frail looking 13 year old emerged, I quickly glanced at the females and again, I failed to find the orange coloured nightmare that is Gleam's hair, I shot a glance at Goldie was standing next to the mayor looking a little distressed when a high pitched voice rang from across the square.

"I Volunteer as Tribute" I notice a small blonde girl making her way to the stage and I squint my eyes trying to figure out who she is. From her stance I could guess that she was definitely academy trained, but from the horror slash furious look on Goldie's face, I knew that she never intended for that girl to volunteer at all. When she reached the stage and stood at the centre, I immediately recognised her. It was none other than Silvia Shinns, who also happens to be Goldie's 17 year old sister. I've heard about her from my years of training, I've also heard some rumours about her rivalry with her older sister but I dismissed them, I hated rumours and you only fuelled the fire if you believe in them.

"And what is our lucky volunteer's name?"

"Silvia, Silvia Shinns"

Marcellus clapped again, more enthusiastically than the first time once he noticed that Goldie and Silvia are sisters, he was going to comment on it but one look from the Mayor made him carry one with is job. He knelt down, too graceful for a male and picked out a name.

"Our lucky male tribute is Medal O'Kieve" A boy emerged from the 16 year old section, he was about to call out that he doesn't want any volunteers when my voice rang out from the section, surprising everyone around me.

"I volunteer"

It was a widely known fact that I stopped talking ever since Iridescence's accident, people stopped expecting me to talk, so when I shouted that I volunteer everyone stopped and looked at me. The only one who was unfazed by my speaking was Marcellus who was now jumping up and down with glee.

"Oh how I love District one, What's your name?"

I contemplated not replying but I decided to talk this one time, I stared at the crazy happy escort and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes

"Luminescence Emerald."

"Oh well give it a clap folks, your tributes for the 224th hunger games, Silvia Shinns and Luminescence Emerald"

I was ushered to the Justice Building quickly to begin the goodbyes. According to the clock, we were already behind schedule. The first one to come rushing in was Iridescence.

"Why did you volunteer? I told you I was doing fine without the money you just had to do it didn't you?" I just Iridescence's hand in mine and I smiled at her.

"Anything for you"

She smiled at me but she was also crying.

"I know it took a great deal for you to speak today, but Luminescence, you must promise me that you'll speak if you have to in that arena. I know that this year's Arena isn't going to be easy. You should know since that by they chose shared your school year. Don't underestimate you opponents Luminescence, especially that Shinns girl."

I nodded and she took me in her arms and hugged me tightly.

"Stay Safe Luminescence, and come back quickly"

I hugged her back before the peacekeepers began calling for her to leave.

I was joined by Radiance as soon as Iridescence left.

"So you did it huh?"

I just looked at Radiance who took a deep breath and sat next to me.

"I won't lie, I'm not thrilled, even though I knew you were planning on volunteering."

I just nodded at him and he nodded as well, already used to this.

"I guess anything I say now isn't going to change anything. Just be careful there Luminescence, I know that you're strong but there's always a possibility that someone is stronger than you…and.."

He looked at his hands and then unclasped his fist to reveal a cup shaped medallion.

"I've always had this, remember? You helped me unearth it when we were playing in the neighbors garden after hours."

I just nodded at him, smiling. Those were the days back before the accident. It was also before my father left us. I was 7 and Radiance was only 4.

"Take it, I have nothing else to offer for you as a token. And well, it might remind there in your times of need that we, me and Iridescence are waiting for you."

I looked up at Radiance and I offered him my arms and he hugged me awkwardly, not used to public display of affection.

"Stay safe, I know I should have faith but I'm still afraid, Come back soon okay?"

I nod at him and he leaves. I looked back down at the medallion and I clasp my fist around it.

I know in my heart that losing is not an option.

 **Silvia Shinns - 17**

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU TO HER?"

I smirked as Goldie came storming in.

"Well hello to you too Goldie, fancy meeting you here…"

"Don't you play those games with me, now tell me, what the hell did you to Gleam?"

I looked at her innocently and smiled a small smile. "Whatever do you mean sister dearest? Why do you think I had anything to do with her….disappearance?"

I smirked at the last word and Goldie's face was pricless at this point.

"You better tell me what happened to her Silvia, or else…"

"Or what? It's too late anyway, I'm the tribute for the 223rd hunger games and there's that nothing you or your silly excuse of a choice could do about it."

Goldie threw me a withering look before leaving and banging the door behind her.

A few seconds pass and then my mother enters the room. She looks at me with a certain look of uncertainty before saying one sentence and then leaving.

"There's no place for losers in my family"

I didn't get the time to think about that sentence because my father entered the room afterwards.

If there was anyone in my family that I could say I was close to, it would be my father. My father usually stayed out of my problems with my mother, but he secretly dotted on me. He used to bring me chocolates and other treats during the days when my mother used to restrict my diet. I think out of my entire family, I loved my father the most.

"Silvia, I don't know why you did this…I know it has something to do with your mother. I guess it's my fault I never got in between you too.."

I looked at my father and I just shrugged. He came closer and sat next to me.

"I have faith in you Silvia, I know you can make it back to me." I nod at him and smile. He reached into his pocket and took out a golden locket.

"This was my mother's, she wanted my first born to have it. Your sister has enough jewellery to last a lifetime. I want you to have it."

I looked down at the locket and for the first time in a while I smiled a real smile. I took it and gave my father a long hug. He was then called to leave and he gave me brief hug before leaving.

I looked down at the locket and I quickly fastened it around my neck.

"I'll do this, I know I will…"

 **A.N: I'm so sorry for the long wait for this chapter, I just hope that it's length could make up for the time I spent. Hopefully I won't take as much time for the rest. I hope you like them and make sure to tell me who you liked more, Luminescence or Silvia.**

 **I'll try to update as soon as possible. Now that I finished my finals, I could invest some time in this story. Read and Review everyone. The blog should be finished by the time the next chapter is up!**


	10. Two is For Pride

**Two Is For Pride**

 **Here's the second reaping chapter!**

 **Delphine Leontes was submitted by: SolarisEclipse77**

 **Dominc Regus Vater was submitted by: StarrySkiesbrite**

 **Hope I did your characters justice!**

 **Also, a big shout out to Golden Moon Huntress, thank you so much for reviewing the last chapter!**

 **Delphine Leontes – 16**

The sound of the alarm clock rang suddenly, I was already awake before it rang but I was waiting for it to ring before getting up.

I climb out of bed, it was still dark outside but I was used to it. As a daughter to two former victors, I was subjected to harsh training ever since I was 5 years old. My Parents were strict when it came to my training, my father made it clear that I was their only hope since I never managed to give birth to another child.

I quickly changed into my workout clothes and I pulled my long brown hair into a high ponytail. I crept outside of the house careful not to wake anyone up, my parents hated being woken up before 8, and if I made any sound, I knew my father would wake up and it would be hell on earth.

My rigorous routine started from 5 and lasted until 9, I then get a breakfast break and continue till 3, I get a lunch break and then I continue till 8. It was intense and not many people would be able to cope with it, but I guess ever since my parents decided that the academy training isn't adequate, they put me through this routine which, according to them, is going to make me a winner.

Today is different though, today is reaping day and after my parents talked to the head mentors of our district, it was decided that I was going to be the girl representing the district this year. I was pitted against the highest trained female in the academy and I easily defeated her and her close seconds. It was determined quiet begrudgingly by both mentors that I was the most qualified person this year, even though I'm only 16 and I still have plenty of time left before its too late for me. My mother, however, decided that since she won at 16, I should also win at 16. She won the 169th hunger games, and she won it in four days. It was considered a record at the time, that was, until Zeus Maximus, our head mentor for district 2 won it in three days only. My mom was pissed, but she was determined that I should be the one to break that record.

I finished my 7 lap, 5-mile run in record timing and but a little behind scheduling. I glanced at the time and I sighed, I was supposed to be at home at 6:30, and it was now 6:45. I was about to call for a taxi, but the sun rising from above the trees of the nearby forest grabbed my attention. I knew that place by heart, but it has been 9 years since I last used that trail to get back home. Ever since that night when Orion Died.

Orion was my best and only friend, his parents were also really close friends to my parents, and they were pretty much my parents' only friends. We were next door neighbors and we did everything together. We found this trail of woods back when we were 5 and we decided to use it to get back home quickly because we always stopped for sweets and made ourselves late for dinner and out parents always punished us for it. When we were 7 years old, two years after starting training in the academy, a fight broke out in the academy a day before the reaping for the 215th hunger games. It was between the two guys who were to be considered as tributes. Orion, who was small but who possessed one of the kindest hearts you could ever see, noticed a small 5 year old girl trying to come between the two males because her brother was one of the two males. His sense of duty made him want to protect the little girl, so he entered the fight to try and grab her away only to get caught between the two. For a moment I wasn't able to see anything because of their fast movements but then I heard a high pitched cry of pain and the two males stopped horrified. Orion was found in the middle of their fight, with a small knife stuck in his neck.

It was a scandal in District 2, the boy who died as a result of a brawl between two perspective tributes. Both boys were tried and were turned into avoxes, and in that year, our district was gone by the third day in the hunger games. But till this day I couldn't forget the look on Orion's face when he was in the middle of the training hall in the academy.

Orion and I were against the hunger games when we were young, he was actually trying to convince me to stop training and when I told him that my parents would disown me if I told them that, he told me that his would too and in that case we could go and live with his grandparents. When he died, and I refused to train in the academy, my parents decided to train me themselves. I couldn't tell them no, because I have nowhere else to go now that Orion is dead.

I looked at the trail again and then glanced at my watch,

"6:48"

I took a deep breath and entered the forest, trying to take deep calming breaths but failing because my heart was beating erratically. I tried to move fast, but either I forgot the length of the trail or time was passing way too slowly in here.

"Delphi?"

I stopped, panicking. I started looking around me but I knew that it couldn't be possible, I must be imagining things. No one called me Delphi except...

"Delphi is that you?"

I looked around me feeling a little bit lost, confused and scared. I shouldn't have entered here; I knew that this place is bound to make me lose my mind.

"Delphi, it's me, don't you remember me?"

I suddenly found what I was looking for. Perched on a branch, on one of the trees, sat Orion looking down at me, still in the clothes that he was killed in, and still the same size and age he was when he was killed that night.

I slowly approached the tree, looking lost and scared.

"Or...Orion?"

He smiled and jumped down from the tree. He came closer and then stood right in front of me. He took one look at me and then stopped smiling.

"You changed."

"And you died. Consider us even." I snapped, already angry at myself because I was talking to a hallucination.

"I thought we were going to quit training, what happened to you Delphi?"

"DON'T. CALL. ME. THAT!"

I snapped raising my voice, Orion wasn't fazed, and he just stared at me.

"You're just a figment of my sick imagination. Now just please, go. I don't need this right now..."

I closed my eyes, but I could still hear him as he left.

"You're not my Delphi anymore..."

The swishing of the wind that followed it made it clear that he left. I opened my eyes to find myself in the middle of the forest staring at the tree where Orion was sitting at earlier. What threw me off my tracks was the fact that the branch he was sitting on was cracked, the same crack that happened when he jumped off to stand in front of me.

I shook my head and took off running. Pushing all thoughts about Orion out of my head. It was nearing 7 and I wasn't close to home. I ran until I reached our mansion in the victor's village. Ours was one of the biggest seeing that both of my parents were victors. They requested to have a joint Victor's house. So ours contained twice the amount of rooms and furniture that are normally in Victor's houses. I threw myself into a shower and tried to push any thoughts about Orion out of my mind. I don't need the distraction at all.

By the time I finished my shower and I started working out with the dummy in our gym, my father was up.

I heard his knock on the door and I stopped and looked back at him. When I was young, my father's stare alone was enough to scare me for a week, now that I'm older, I was no longer scared of him, and I had enough nightmares in my head to be scared of him.

"I see you're already training."

I didn't say anything I just look at him. He nods once and he looks me up and down.

"When you're finished your mother wants you in her room"

I nod to show that I get it before I focus on the dummy in front of me. At 10, I go down and meet my mother in her room. She was standing in front of a mirror holding a black suit. I knock twice and stand by the door.

"Oh Delphine, Come in I was waiting for you."

I enter the room and I stand next to her bed. She looks me in the eye and smiles. Her smile had no warmth or love to it at all, and while she was smiling, her eyes remain cold and hard. My mother might appear as the most loving mother to everyone, but I know firsthand that it's all just an act. My mother is cold-hearted and cruel. She has no love in her, and she certainly never showed me any.

"I picked out your reaping outfit. This was mine, and it was your grandmothers before me. We were all victors, so this could be considered a good luck charm. Not that you would need any." She laughed lightly and I stared at her. She straightened herself and she took the suit and gave it to me.

"Well, go ahead now, go take another shower and get dressed, you won't want to be late to the reaping now."

I nod once and left the room.

"Oh and Delphine," I look back at her and she ushers me to her.

"Your father and I won't be able to visit you in the Justice building, important dinner plans. I wanted you to have this as your token."

She unclasps her diamond Brooch and gave it to me. "Wear it well" she whispers to me, as if it's a secret between us both.

I nod again and leave. The brooch she just gave me is a family heirloom. And I know the only reason she gave it to me was to make sure everyone knew of our ancestry, about the fact that we were descendent from Capitol residents.

I take a quick shower and wear the suit careful not to crease it and wear the brooch on my left. I quickly dry my hair and style it out in two French braids.

I look at my reflection in the mirror when I hear the voice again. This time, its owner was nowhere to be found, but I heard it clearly in my mind.

" _You're not my Delphi anymore…"_

 **Dominic "Dom" Regus Vater – 18**

" _A poor person in District 2? You should move to 12 where they could appreciate the likes of you!"_

I laugh loudly as my girlfriend, Hippolyta tears into the 13 year old orphan girl. I take care not to be too close to this orphan, for who knows, she might steal something from me.

After we're done, we move on to the victor's village, where I live. My aunt won the games when she was 17. Ever since then, we've been living at her place in the victor's village. My Aunt was known as one of the fiercest tributes. A fact that made everyone afraid of her, even men. As a result, she never married, but she makes up for that by spoiling me rotten, and I'm not an idiot to say no to that.

"Hey Dom, is it true? Are you really volunteering this year?"

I smirked and rolled my eyes. "Why Virtus, did you actually think that you have what it takes to volunteer yourself?"

Virtus narrowed his eyes and looked at me angrily. I shrugged, used to this. It's a wide known fact that everyone in this district was jealous of me. My family is one of the richest in the district and I have everything I want whenever I want it. What's not to be jealous of? Added to that, I have every girl's attention. Most guys would wish for five minutes of my life.

"I was just wondering, Hippolyta just mentioned it."

I smirked and I ran my hands through my floppy blonde hair. "Off course she did, she likes to show my off, don't you babe?"

Hippolyta smiled sweetly at me and batted her eyes and I responded by smacking her ass. She giggled at that and side hugged me.

"No Hippolyta, I told you, no side hugs. My aunt bought this suit from the Capitol and it creases really easily."

Hippolyta batted her eyes innocently and I rolled my eyes. I'm not sure why I put up with her, I could have any girl I want, and I knew that Hippolyta was only with me to elevate her social status.

"What are you guys planning to do? It's still 9:30, and hour and a half left till the reaping. Any ideas?"

Petunia, Hippolyta's best friend says, I ruffle my hair again and I shrug.

"Well, I have to get back home and get dressed. I don't know about you, but today is a big day for me and I want to get ready for it right."

Lysander high fived me and I smiled.

"Well, I'm going shopping for new shoes for the reaping. Since you're volunteering, I need to look my best for you babe!" Hippolyta gave me a kiss on the cheek before flouncing away.

"Lucky man, Hippolyta is hot." I shrug at the new guy. I've never seen him before, but Virtus stated that he was his cousin so I decided to tolerate his ass.

"I know, but who cares. She's not as good in bed as she's good to look at. Once I'm victor, I'm dumping her ass anyway."

The new guy just looked at me weirdly and shook his head. I rolled my eyes at that, I was used to people giving me that look, and it was rather stupid really. I know that everyone around is jealous of me, but they need to stop making it so damn obvious.

"Well, I'm leaving, places to be, see you at the reaping assholes!"

I wave lightly, careful to show off my shiny gold ring my aunt bought for me from her last capitol visit. Lysander waves back and Virtus and his cousin just look on. I pay their loser, jealous asses no attention and I turn my back. I jog to my aunt's mansion and I skip to my room. Before I reach it though, my grandmother calls for me. I let out a sigh of disgust. I really feel awkward around that lady, but she does spoil me rotten so I make sure to give her the time of day and the love she needs.

"Dommy, there's my favorite grandchild!"

"Gran, I'm your ONLY grandchild." I say, trying not to roll my eyes in the process but she laughs and pats my head and I try to control my anger because I know that she's ruining my hair by that silly gesture. I bite my tongue to keep the anger in.

"Still even if there were lots of other children, you'll still be my favorite."

I nod and roll my eyes inwardly. "Well you're my favorite gran off course.

She laughs, "I know, but still, I need re-assuring now and then." I nod and she slips a wad of money in my hands.

"Treat yourself for something nice before the reaping. And have the best hunger games experience there is. Crush them like I know you will."

I nod and smile at her and I skip to the stairs before anyone else calls me. I quickly take a shower and get dressed in my Dark blue "District 2 Academy" hoodie, my black and gold sweatpants and gold sneakers. I also fix my hair correctly before wearing my backwards red baseball cap. I glance at the watch and I find it nearing eleven. I quickly check myself in the mirror one more time before jogging down the stairs.

"I'll see you all in the justice building!" I scream at them and I hear a lot of goodbyes and Love-yous and I smirk. I race to the reaping square and I get there early enough to avoid the crowd of the people who are underprivileged and poor who normally come to the reaping later than the richer people. I hate the sight of them as they make me feel uneasy and disgusted. Since my family is one of the richest and most known in the district, I know that all these people want is to rob me and my family silly, so I always make a point to avoid the likes of them when I need to.

The video of the dark days rolls out as soon as people start to settle in. I glance around me and I find Hippolyta looking for me, I raise my hand and she jumps up and down and blows me a kiss, I smile at her and I just look in front of me. Once the video is over, the mayor says a few words before beckoning our escort, Paylor Stars to the stage. I knew Paylor quiet well since she's close friends with my aunt and ever since she was assigned as the escort for our district, she started hanging out with my mother as well. She was the inspiration behind my mother's outrageous fashion choices, from her dark purple hair to her weird mismatched clothes. People like Paylor make me feel weird, but it pays being nice to her, I've always known that I'll be volunteering, so I made and effort to be nice to Paylor because she'll later help me when I get to the capitol.

"Happy Hunger games District 2! Now let's pick our lucky female for this year!"

She bent down and picked out a name and paused for suspense before saying out loud, "This year's lucky female tribute is Cassandra flowers!"

A poor looking, frail 15 year old emerged, trying her hardest to look unafraid. I shiver in disgust and I pray for a volunteer. There's no way in hell I'd work with _that!_

"I volunteer as tribute!"

A voice rang out from the 16 year old's section and I glance at it to find a very athletic, muscular, and short girl getting out. The parting of the crowds and the way Belladonna and Ares Leontes's faces beamed with pride made me know that she's academy trained. But I could also spot the grim faces of Zeus and Pandora Maximus, our head mentors and I was confused. Once she reached the stage and I was able to make out her face, I realized now why the old two victors were beaming with pride. It was their own daughter.

I knew, like everyone in the academy that Delphine Leontes was privately trained by her parents. This, coupled with the fact that whenever her parents schedule her some fights against the academy trained people they sometimes decline, made it quite sure that Delphine Leontes was a tribute to be feared. Her own stance was quiet threatening. I wasn't the least bit afraid though. She's strong, that I know, but I'm definitely stronger, and I could easily take her.

"And your name is?"

"Delphine Leontes."

Paylor smiled with pride and clapped, urging the rest of the reaping to clap as well.

"Now, onto our lucky male. He will be, Stenliss Grimm Come on up here!"

"I volunteer as tribute!"

I shout out, and everybody turns to look at me. I smile my trademark smile and I move towards the stage. Paylor was looking at me with pride in her face.

"Oh the lovely Dominic Regus Vater, nephew of the famous victor Paloma Vater! Well district two, here you are two legacies. Give them a hand, Delphine Leontes and Dominic Regus Vater!"

The crowd cheered a little and I smile at them and raise my hands, blowing some kisses to the girls in the crowd.

I smirk at the crowd cheering me, Soon I'll be back here, and everyone will really cheer me as I deserve. The victor of this stupid district.

 **A.N: Here you are, I didn't lie when I said I'll update fast. Please review, I really need some input on how well I've written those characters. I'll try to update as fast possible as I really need to get past the reaping already and get started with the games. Remember, read and review!.**


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